Description
These Super Soft Molasses Cookies are a delightful treat featuring warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves combined with rich molasses for a chewy, flavorful bite. Perfectly soft and lightly cracked on top, they make an ideal dessert for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a cozy, spiced cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together with a mixer for about 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, then mix in the molasses and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and uniform in color.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to maintain cookie softness.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop the dough into 1 to 1½ tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to create a slightly crunchy coating, then place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, cracked on top, and just set. Be careful not to overbake to preserve their soft texture.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For extra soft cookies, slightly underbake and allow them to finish setting on the baking tray as they cool.
- Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to help maintain softness for several days.
