Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies are rich and flavorful, with a warm blend of spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Rolled in powdered sugar for that signature crinkled top, they're the perfect cozy treat for the holidays and any season.
Crinkle cookies are a very popular Christmas cookie recipe. I think we most often see chocolate, but sometimes I just want to go outside the norm! A wonderful addition to a Christmas cookie platter.
If you love the deep flavors in this recipe, I'm sure you'll also love making Soft Molasses Cookies. Then go ahead and pivot to Chewy Molasses Blondies for a new twist!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This Molasses Crinkle Cookie recipe is full of holiday flavor!
- Cookies are the perfect make-ahead Christmas dessert. Perfect to have in the freezer for a pop up cookie exchange, along with Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.
- This crinkles recipe super easy to make - because the dough needs to chill, you can split up the mixing and baking to fit in your schedule. You can whip up hot chocolate cookies at the same time, let them chill together, then have double the baking!
Recipe Ingredients
- Shortening: I prefer butter flavored shortening in most of my baking recipes.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is perfect for this molasses crinkle cookie recipe.
- Sugar: These cookies contain just brown sugar to really enhance the flavor and give a chewy texture.
- Molasses: Molasses adds a rich and sweet flavor. Grandma's Molasses is my preferred brand. Do not use blackstrap as that is for too strong, bitter and not as sweet.
- Spices: You'll see your typical winter spices here, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Similar to soft gingerbread cookies but also - dried ground mustard! I promise you won't taste mustard, you'll get a chewy ginger molasses cookie.
- Powdered sugar: Rolling your dough in this is what gives the classic "crinkle" to the top.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Roll Molasses Crinkle Cookies in granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar for a more sparkly crackle finish.
- Add the zest of 1 orange while creaming shortening and sugar for a hint of citrus.
- Butter can be substituted for margarine but will add a little more spread to the cookie.
- Add 2 teaspoon of finely chopped candied ginger if you want a strong ginger cookies recipe.
How To Make Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer.
Step 2: Add egg and molasses and combine well.
Step 3: Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Step 4: Add dry to wet and stir until just combined.
Step 5: Use a cookie scoop to make 2 oz cookie dough balls.
Step 6: When ready to bake, roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar.
Step 7: Bake, leaving room for spreading.
Step 8: Allow molasses crinkle cookies to cool completely on a rack before storing.
Expert Baking Tips
- Always start with room temperature ingredients. The shortening will really be light and fluffy with the sugar only if you start with it warmer.
- Don't skip chilling the dough - this will keep the cookies from spreading far too thin.
- Use a cookie scoop to achieve evenly sized cookies so they bake evenly.
- Use a biscuit cutter to 'scoot' cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. By moving the biscuit cutter in a circular motion around each cookie, it makes them into perfect circles. A trick I use on brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies and many others!
Recipe FAQs
Allow molasses crinkle cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing. You can store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for a couple months. Double bag in freezer bags then put in an airtight container before placing in the freezer. Cookies are perfect for making ahead to lessen the stress of the holidays.
These cookies are meant to spread some, as that is what gives them the crinkle texture. When chilling, you can place the dough balls right next to each other to save space in your fridge. When it comes time to bake, set the sugar-coated cookies about 3 inches apart on your baking sheet. Keep the remaining dough in the fridge while they await their turn in the oven.
Absolutely! Once the molasses crinkle cookie dough is scooped and rolled in sugar, place them on a parchment lined sheet tray into the freezer. After 1 hour, remove the tray and transfer the dough balls into a double bagged freezer bag back into the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
This could happen if your baking soda is out of date and doesn't cause a good rise. Another reason could be the dough balls weren't coated in sugar. The sugar helps dry the surface and create cracks. A third reason could be the oven temperature. Make sure to properly preheat the oven and occasionally check your oven temp with an oven thermometer before baking to make sure the temperature is correct.
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📖Recipe
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Scoop 1oz or 2oz
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter flavored shortening room temp
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room temp
- ¼ cup molasses grandma's molasses brand
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger ground
- ½ teaspoon cloves ground
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream shortening and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy
- Mix in egg then molasses
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, dried mustard and salt in a separate bowl
- Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture then mix on low speed until all flour is incorporated
- Scoop dough into 2oz balls and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Roll cookie dough balls in powdered sugar, dusting off the excess, then place them on prepared sheet tray 3 inches apart
- Bake 12 minutes until cookies are crackled on top. Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
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