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Molasses Cookies

Molasses cookies with deeply spiced flavor and sugar-sparkled tops, baked until the edges are crisp and the centers stay soft. Chill the dough for 30 minutes so the crinkled tops form and the texture turns chewy with crisp edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 1 minute
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 0.5 tsp cloves
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter Softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar Packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup molasses Not blackstrap
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For rolling
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Mix the dry and wet ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, black pepper, and salt until evenly combined and no spice streaks remain.
  2. Beat unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, then mix in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract just until smooth and glossy.
  3. Fold the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry flour is visible.
Chill, scoop, and bake
  1. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to firm it up and help the cookies hold shape.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line sheet pans with parchment paper.
  3. Scoop dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls, then roll generously in granulated sugar so the tops sparkle.
  4. Bake for 9-11 minutes at 375°F until the tops are crinkled and the centers look underdone.
  5. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes so the cookies finish setting into chewy centers with crisp edges.

Notes

Pro tip: underbake slightly—pull the cookies when the centers still look a bit soft, since they finish as they cool on the pan. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months (thaw at room temperature). For a lighter option, use half whole-wheat pastry flour for part of the all-purpose flour for added fiber while keeping a tender crumb.