I made these crinkly molasses cookies for a group of friends here in Chicago and I think it's my new favorite. The cookies are just the right level sweetness, spread into perfectly neat rounds, and are neither too thick nor too thin.
Crinkly Molasses Cookies Recipe Notes
The recipe is based on one from King Arthur. King Arthur's calls for all butter, but I noticed that when I swapped out half the butter for shortening, the cookies spread in a neater, more evenly rounded pattern and were a little thicker and prettier. Another change I made was to halve the recipe because I'd rather only make 20 cookies and use the rest of the ingredients on another flavor.
Anyhow, next to my Colossal Ginger Cookies recipe, this is probably my favorite recipe for "normal" size soft and chewy molasses cookies.
Recipe
Favorite Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- ½ scant teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (57 grams)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening 48 grams
- ½ cup granulated sugar 96 grams
- ¼ cup mild molasses 90 grams
- 1 large egg
- Topping: Sparkling or granulated sugar
Instructions
- Line a large plate or small baking sheet with foil.
- Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon together and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, then beat in the egg, scraping bowl often.
- Gradually add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or heavy scraper to form a soft dough.
- Spoon 20 tablespoons size blobs of dough onto the plates or baking sheet and chill for about 30 minutes or until dough is firm enough to shape into neat balls.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
- Shape pre-scooped dough blobs into neat balls and dip tops in granulated or sparkly sugar.
- Bake cookies one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes or until puffed and set.
- Let cool for about 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let finish cooling.
Sue says
I made these and they turned out great. I gave most of them away as thank you gifts.
Anna says
These are really good, Sue! They are chewy rather than crunchy and not spicy like the others. I use the recipe when I need a pretty neutral molasses cookie recipe.
Sue says
I came here looking for this recipe. https://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/10/12/crunchy-gingersnaps/ I wondered if people had commented on making them without the cayenne. We all LOVE that recipe but being a bit spicy I’m hesitant to make them for people I don’t know well. For what it’s worth it’s the only molasses cookie recipe our family and some of my friends need. We love them that much.
But today I was thinking about making some molasses cookies for people I don’t know well and stumbled across this recipe. It might be the perfect answer! Sorry I missed it when you first posted it.
sonya says
They look great!
CindyD says
I have been looking for a soft ginger cookie and will definitely try these whenever it cools off enough so I can bake (maybe by Christmas?).