We're back from Houston and I'm happy to say my grandmother loved the cookies we baked for her. Her favorite were the Spiced Molasses Cookies from Epicurious. The molasses cookies were so good that I'm going to make them my "house molasses cookies". (Update: I never did that. I just kept making news ones all the time. If I do have an actual house molasses, it would be these Colossal Ginger Cookies which are thick and soft.)
Spiced Molasses Cookies Texture
These were big, crackly, chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. I did make one small change to the recipe, and that was to use 3 cups of granulated sugar and ½ cup of turbinado sugar for rolling. Rolling in turbinado was an idea I got from Cooking Light. When I roll cookies in sugar, I like for the sugar to be coarse rather than very granular. The coarse crystal sugar I buy is pretty, but expensive. Turbinado is a cheaper alternative and a good fit for the outside of a molasses cookie.
Recipe
Excellent Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅛ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves plus a pinch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (56 grams)
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening (48 grams)
- 1 ½ cups sugar plus ¼ for rolling (300 grams)
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses (75 grams)
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Have ready two parchment lined baking sheets.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and spices.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together softened butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, then beat in the egg.
- Gradually add flour mixture and stir until blended.
- In a small shallow bowl put remaining ¼ cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls (for large cookies) or use a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to form smaller balls.
- Roll in sugar. On baking sheets arrange balls about 4 inches apart (closer if making the smaller cookies) and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
- Bake cookies on center rack for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.
Anna says
To the person who just asked "Where's the recipe?".
There's a link on the word "Epicurious".
laura says
These are so fabulous! The suggestion of the turbinado sugar was fabulous--I think it makes them taste like Pepperidge Farm gingerman cookies (that's a compliment--they are my favorite store-bought cookies). I made these as gifts for my neighbors for Christmas. I'm now turning to your blog all the time for cookie recipes.
Jodie says
I made these tonight as an addition to my usual 200 dozen Christmas cookies. The hubby declares them "perfect spice cookies" and at the rate he's eating them I'm probably going to have to make another batch!
Erika says
Very pretty cookies! Andy loves molasses cookies- I may have to surprise him with some of these.
Anna says
Gigi, I think those molasses cookies will hold up really well for your Father's Day package. I used a molasses called "Mild Molasses". I think the brand was Brer Rabbit. It is unsulphured. Blackstrap molasses would be way too strong, so don't use that.Val, I like it when people make typos. It makes all of mine less noticeable!I saw that a lot of people cut the sugar. I'm sure the cookies were tasty with the lesser amount, but I thought they were perfect with the amount of sugar in the recipe. Judging from the good reviews from my grandmother and Todd (both of whom like molasses cookies more thatn CCC), I wouldn't changed anything. They had ginger, but not enought to detract from the molasses.
val says
pssorry for those typos. it is early!
val says
gosh, how did fuzz'a hair get so long? she sure is growing up!I just got through reading all the epicurious reviews (lots of them!!) and I was surprised to see that a majority of the reviewers cut WAY back on the sugar and still claimed to get "the best cookie they have ever eaten" or something to that effect. many of them halved the sugar and still got great results. plus, the ones who made the cookies with the full amount of sugar said they were sickeningly sweet. I just find that odd. or maybe I shouldn't, given the source (epicurious being famous for, um, "off" reviews).I have another comment/question...In a recent post you mentioned that you liked your molasses cookies to taste like molasses and not a ginger cookie in disguise... how would you describe these? are these more of a ginger cookie or would you really consider these a true molasses cookie. (sorry if this is a dumb question, but that recent post where you described how you like all of the different varieties of cookies got me thinking about little nuances like this.)I do plan to try this recipe soon. I have made doznes and dozens of ginger molasses cookies so I am anxious to see how this compares.
Gigi says
These look really yummy. Perfect timing too - I was looking for a new sweet treat to send to my Dad for Father's Day!One question...are unsulphured molasses the same as blackstrap molasses?
Amy says
I love molasses cookies.
sandra says
Hey Anna,Fun picture of Fuzz and the belly dancer. I have a question for you. This relates to baking pecan pies. I always put mine on a cookie sheet while baking. My boss told me once to preheat the cookie sheet before placing the pie on it. Have you ever heard or done that? I can't remember her reasoning...do you know why its good to do that? Oh BTW, those molasses cookies sure take a pretty picture...lol
Anna says
Hi Sandra,Maybe a hot cookie sheet helps make the bottom of the crust cook a little more? I don't know. I usually use a cookie sheet just to catch drips.