Description
Grandma’s irresistibly soft molasses cookies blend nostalgic warmth with spicy comfort from generations past. Fragrant spices and rich molasses create a homemade treasure that connects you to cherished family memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup full-flavor molasses
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
Sweeteners:
- 1 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
Instructions
- Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a harmonious dry ingredient blend.
- Whisk vegetable oil and sugar in a separate bowl until thoroughly integrated, then incorporate molasses and egg, stirring until smooth and uniform.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain cookie tenderness and prevent tough texture.
- Encase dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours at 40°F, allowing flavors to meld and dough to solidify.
- Heat oven to 375°F, positioning racks in central zone. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent adhesion.
- Craft uniform spheres using tablespoon-sized dough portions, delicately rolling each in granulated sugar for a crystalline exterior.
- Arrange cookie orbs 2 inches apart on prepared sheets, ensuring adequate spacing for expansion during baking.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until edges transform to golden amber and centers remain delicately soft, indicating perfect doneness.
- Rest cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, permitting gentle settling, then transfer to wire cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to enhance flavor depth and prevent spreading during baking, ensuring perfectly round cookies with rich molasses undertones.
- Use freshly ground spices for maximum aromatic intensity, boosting the warm, comforting flavor profile of these classic cookies.
- Adjust baking time slightly for softer or crispier results—8 minutes yields a chewier texture, while 10 minutes creates a slightly crunchier edge.
- For gluten-free options, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, maintaining the cookie’s signature soft and spicy character.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 135 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg