Description
These Spicy Molasses Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom. Coated in sugar, they develop a perfectly crackled top after baking. A delightful treat perfect for the holidays or any time you crave a spiced cookie with rich molasses flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating
- 3/4 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare it for baking the cookies evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup vegetable shortening, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 large egg. Mix until well combined and creamy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Lightly stir together 2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Then add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined into a dough.
- Form Cookie Balls: Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls. Generously coat each ball with additional granulated sugar to create a sweet, crackly crust.
- Bake: Place the sugar-coated balls on a baking sheet spaced apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies are done when they start to crack and the edges are set.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and allow them to cool slightly. They are delicious while still warm or can be cooled completely before serving.
Notes
- For softer cookies, bake closer to 9 minutes; for crispier edges, bake up to 11 minutes.
- Make sure not to overmix the dough after adding dry ingredients to keep cookies tender.
- Shortening is recommended for classic texture, but unsalted butter can be substituted for richer flavor.
- To store, keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze baked cookies or unbaked dough balls for later baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
