Chewy Spiced Molasses Cookies

On the First Day of Christmas The Busty Baker baked for me… Chewy Spiced Molasses Cookies!

My first holiday cookies of the season! And it’s about time! I’ve waited 11 months to be able to bake holiday cookies, and then the holiday season finally arrived, and I hit a baking dry spell. It’s been close to 3 weeks since I’ve had anything baking related go up here! Shame! Shame on me! Here I am with more than enough recipes to bake my way through the entire month of December and into the New Year, and a whole lot of ingredients just waiting to be used, but I just couldn’t get myself into the kitchen to make anything! But hopefully now that I’ve gotten myself over that hurdle, I’m back on track and ready to start baking regularly! Just in time for the 12 days of Christmas!

Full of rich molasses and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, this is one delicious cookie. I’ve made this one for years, and can’t get enough! I could seriously eat a whole batch by myself if you’d let me. Luckily I end up giving the majority of them away, or else I wouldn’t have room for any other cookies!

They’re really easy to make, so bring the kids into the kitchen and let them roll the dough into balls and toss them in sugar. They’re a great cookie to bring to a cookie exchange party too. I took these to a party last week, and they were a huge hit! You might want to double the recipe if you’re taking them to a party though. (Or even triple if there’s going to be a lot of people!) It makes 3 dozen, and after snacking on them through the party, there were barely enough to split up and take home!

So whether you’re heading out to a holiday party, passing out cookie trays, or just baking up a batch to enjoy with your family, give these a try. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

---

Chewy Spiced Molasses Cookies
From Everyday Food Holiday Issue 2006
Makes 36 cookies



2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar, divided
1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
¼ cup unsulfured molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in the center. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place ½ cup of sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and then molasses. Reduce speed to low; gradually add dry ingredients, beating just until a dough forms.
3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, roll dough into balls. Then roll each ball in reserved ½ cup of sugar to coat.
4. Place balls on baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.