Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies for Christmas
By Beth Kaminski ·
These molasses crinkle cookies have soft, chewy centers, lightly crisp edges, and sugar-coated tops that crack as they bake. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves make them a welcome addition to a Christmas cookie tray. Plan for an hour of chilling to keep the cookies from spreading too much.
What Makes These Cookies Chewy?
Brown sugar and molasses help these cookies hold moisture, while a short bake keeps the centers soft. The dough should be chilled before baking so the butter has time to firm up. That gives the cookies a chance to rise and develop their crackled tops before spreading too far.
Measure the flour carefully. Fluff it in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level the top without packing it down. For greater consistency, use 280 grams. Too much flour can leave the cookies thick and dry instead of chewy.
Choosing Ingredients and Making Substitutions
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses, sometimes labeled original or robust. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which is more bitter and can overwhelm the spices.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar gives a balanced molasses flavor. Dark brown sugar also works and makes the cookies slightly darker.
- Butter: If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. The butter should dent when pressed but should not look shiny or melted.
- Spices: For a milder cookie, reduce the ground ginger to 1 teaspoon and omit the cloves. Keep the cinnamon for a familiar holiday flavor.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Refrigerate the covered dough for up to 3 days. If it becomes too firm to scoop, let it stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. For longer storage, freeze uncoated dough balls on a lined tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, roll in sugar, and bake as directed.
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment. Thaw them in their container to help prevent the surface from drying out. They do not need reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my cookies crack?
Check that your baking soda is fresh and your oven is fully preheated. A generous sugar coating also makes the cracks more visible. Do not flatten the dough balls before baking.
How do I know when they are done?
The edges should be set, and the tops should have distinct cracks. The centers will still look soft, but they should not look wet. They firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
Warm dough, melted butter, or a hot baking sheet can cause excess spreading. Keep the waiting dough refrigerated and use a cool sheet for each batch.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, if your mixer bowl has enough room. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for consistent results, and keep the remaining dough chilled between batches.
Recipe
Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies for Christmas
By Beth Kaminski · American
- Prep
- 1 hr 20 min
- Cook
- 24 min
- Total
- 1 hr 44 min
- Serves
- 24
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (280 grams)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Method
- 1
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- 2
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy.
- 3
Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed for about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed, until evenly blended.
- 4
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no dry flour remains, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
- 5
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes, until firm enough to roll without heavily sticking to your hands.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center, and line two 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 7
Portion the dough into 24 balls, using about 2 level tablespoons or 33 grams of dough for each.
- 8
Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl for coating.
- 9
Roll each dough ball in the sugar and arrange 12 on each prepared sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart; refrigerate the second sheet while the first bakes.
- 10
Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are cracked and the edges are set but the centers still look soft, not wet.
- 11
Let each batch cool on its baking sheet for 5 minutes so the cookies firm up enough to move.
- 12
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Let the cookies cool completely before packing them into Christmas tins or adding them to a cookie tray. Their chewy centers hold up well for make-ahead holiday baking.
