Description
These Molasses Cookies are delightfully soft and chewy with a perfect blend of warm spices and rich molasses flavor. Easy to make with simple ingredients, they bake quickly into treats that are crispy around the edges and tender in the center—ideal for cozy gatherings or holiday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups vegetable shortening (276g, melted, about 1½ sticks)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g, plus more for rolling)
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses (85g)
- 2 large eggs (100g, slightly beaten)
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (480g)
- 4 tsp baking soda (24g)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (3g)
- 1 tsp ground cloves (3g)
- 1 tsp ground ginger (3g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (6g)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the melted vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and molasses together for 3 minutes until well combined and creamy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the slightly beaten eggs until the mixture is smooth and fully blended, about 2 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Beat until the dough is thoroughly mixed and uniform in texture.
- Rest the Dough: Let the cookie dough rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate and the dough to firm up slightly, which helps with shaping.
- Form Cookies: Roll the dough into balls. Optionally, roll these balls in granulated sugar for a sparkling, sweet crust, though this step can be omitted based on preference.
- Bake: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-11 minutes, until the edges are firm but the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool: Transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely to allow the texture to set before serving.
Notes
- Rolling cookies in sugar before baking is optional, depending on whether you prefer a crisp sugary exterior.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be slightly soft when removed from the oven to maintain chewiness.
- Storing cookies in an airtight container at room temperature will keep them fresh for up to one week.
- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking to intensify flavor.
