There are recipes, handed down over time, that instantly help you connect to childhood. Memories of running wild through our backyard, playing out in the snow until my fingers were ready to fall off, just to come in and be welcomed by the scent of delicious baked goods my mom was making for us.
These Chewy Molasses Cookies– a sweet, slightly salty, and ginger-spiced masterpiece- always remind me of special treats my mom used to make for us. My maternal Grandfather grew up in Pennsylvania and loved molasses cookies- my mom used to make them for us as a way to remember her dad.
While gingersnaps and crunchy molasses cookies are typically considered a Christmas treat, these chewy molasses cookies are truly year-round delights. In winter they are divine with cocoa or hot cider- and in summer they shine with a tall, cool glass of milk.
Not only are these cookies incredibly delicious- they make your house smell amazing. Think of them as potpurri in disguise- when my mom recently made these at her mountainside ski condo, you could smell them throughout the whole building- which made them impossible to resist.
- 1½ cups butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1½ tsp. celtic sea salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer), beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and molasses, and beat on medium-low speed until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and beat together until combined.
- Roll the dough into 1" diameter balls.
- Pour ¼ cup of granulated sugar onto a shallow dish, and roll cookie balls in sugar to completely coat.
- Place on cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart, and bake for about 8-10 minutes.
- Cookies will crack at the top, and the centers will still be a bit gooey.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes to firm slightly (if you move them too quickly off the baking sheet, they will fall apart), and then let cool completely or serve warm.
- Cookies last up to one week in an airtight container.
We never had molasses cookies at my house growing up. But I made a similar version to these this year, and they will now be a tradition in our house. So yummy!