Description
These molasses crinkle cookies are soft, chewy, and filled with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. With their signature crackled sugar tops and cozy flavor, they’re perfect for holiday trays, gifting, or just baking up some nostalgic kitchen magic.
Ingredients
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2¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
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1 tsp baking soda
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½ tsp salt
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1½ tsp ground cinnamon
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1 tsp ground ginger
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½ tsp ground cloves
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¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
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¼ cup unsulphured molasses
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1 large egg
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and those cozy spices—cinnamon, ginger, and cloves—whisking until evenly blended. Set aside. - Cream the butter and sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). - Add wet ingredients:
Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, then mix until everything comes together in a smooth, unified batter. The dough will be rich and sticky—don’t panic. - Combine:
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Give the bowl a good scrape and stir gently until the dough is smooth with no visible streaks of flour. - Chill the dough:
Cover the dough and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour—or leave it overnight for even bolder flavor. This helps your molasses crinkle cookies keep their shape and develop that signature texture. - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C):
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. - Scoop & roll:
Roll 1½ tablespoon portions of dough into balls. Roll each ball generously in granulated sugar. - Bake:
Space the cookie dough balls about 2 to 3 inches apart on your lined baking sheets, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges are set and those signature crinkles form on top. The centers should still look soft—they’ll finish setting as they cool. - Cool:
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can wait).
Notes
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Chilling the dough is key to creating perfect crinkles and avoiding flat cookies.
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For extra sparkle, roll dough balls in sugar twice.
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Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; bake from frozen with 1–2 extra minutes.
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Swap butter for coconut oil and use a flax egg to make vegan-friendly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 125 kcal
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg