Easy Molasses Cookies

With hints of gingerbread, you might be thinking Christmas when it comes to molasses cookies, but this recipe is one of my favorites that I enjoy year-round! These easy molasses cookies are so simple to make, and are perfect for something a little bit more special than your average chocolate chip cookie.

Molasses cookies have long been one of my favorites, especially just out of the oven while still warm. The almost caramel quality of the cookies seem to melt in your mouth. The sugary surface adds just the right amount of crunch to an otherwise delectably chewy treat.

Molasses cookies can be a bit of an art, and it’s all about cracks! No, really, it’s all about perfecting the cracks on top of your molasses cookies. So don’t be alarmed to find your cookies are splitting on top as they bake, this is part of what makes molasses cookies special, cracks that are unique to each cookie.

Important note: molasses cookie dough should chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before baking, so don’t forget this important first step!

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup course sanding sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter, 1 cup sugar, and egg until combined. Stir in, or with mixer on low, slowly add in the molasses. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Whisk together and gradually combine into the molasses mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Either use a small cookie scoop, or roll dough into walnut sized balls evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, they will spread. Now roll each dough ball in the course sanding sugar (I don’t roll the bottom of the ball), return to the baking sheet.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven, until the tops begin to crack. Cool on wire racks. Pro tip: it’s important to move cookies to a wire rack if you want to ensure a moist cookie. Leaving them to cool on a cookie sheet means they will continue to bake for several additional minutes even out of the oven.

Be sure to take a picture of the finished product and tag #BakedByBrett!

I love to make a few extra and hand them out to friends and family.

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