Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
Cozy Up to Winter with Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
I always think it’s kind of weird the way people put up their holiday decorations the day after Halloween and then take them down the day after Christmas. This is the hard part of the year, people! It is dark, it is cold. In NYC and on Long Island if we haven’t had snow by now, we assume a giant storm is just around the corner. This is when I need twinkle lights, candles, delicious food, and yummy treats – like these chewy molasses ginger cookies.
Powerful Flavors for Curling Up a Hot Drink
Like most people, my job is a ton of work and sometimes the combination of Christmas preparations and my normal responsibilities means something needs to go. Unfortunately, that often results in my not baking as much as I would like. But listen, no one says that everything stops just because the holidays are over! We are baking over here. These chewy molasses ginger cookies are an amazing combination of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. On top of that there is rich molasses with the zing of fresh ginger and the brightness of orange zest.
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are So Easy
Chewy ginger molasses ginger cookies are so easy to bake. My biggest mistake the last time I made them was not softening the butter properly. It is always fairly cold in the Lepetit household and it can take as much as eight hours for butter to soften on the counter. The second time I made these, I got impatient and melted it just a bit in the microwave. This resulted in crispier cookies. They were still very good, but crispy isn’t what I was going for.
Don’t Skimp on the Flavor
The dry ingredients are just flour and baking soda, but make sure you are stocked up on what gives these their flavor: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, fresh ginger (Yes! Double ginger!), and an orange.
A Little Sparkling Sugar Goes a Long Way
When the dough comes together, scoop it out with a tablespoon or a cookie scoop. Make sure you leave room between the cookies because they spread out quite a bit. Before baking, I flatten them a bit with the bottom of a glass and then sprinkle on a bit of sparkling sugar. The sugar is totally optional, but it does make them look more festive.
Ease Through the Dark and Cold of Winter
Remember, the holidays may be over but there are still weeks of darkness and cold left. Treat yourself right!
Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- zest of one orange
- sparkling sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Zest one orange and set aside.
- Use the zester or a small grater to grate the fresh ginger.
- Mix the flour and baking soda together in a mixing bowl.
- Put the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the molasses and mix until just combined.
- Add the egg and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves and mix briefly.
- Mix in the fresh ginger and orange zest until just combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients in three separate times.
- Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl to be sure that all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Scoop out about one tablespoon of dough using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop. Make sure the leave room between the cookies as they will spread.
- Slightly flatten each ball of dough using the bottom of a glass.
- Sprinkle a bit of sparkling sugar on top of each cookie. This is optional but fun.
- Bake until set and slightly browned around the edges, about 12 minutes total. I do 6 minutes, alternate the pans, and do 6 more.
- Let the cookies cool about 5 minutes and continue cooling on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container.
