Ginger Molasses cookies
Ginger molasses cookies are arguably the hallmark cookie for the holidays.
Its warm spices simultaneously zap your taste buds and make you feel wrapped up in a cozy molasses hug.
Some like their ginger molasses cookies hard and crispy, like gingersnaps, and others want them pillowy soft. I was curious as to what type of ginger cookie I preferred so I wanted to do a bit of experimenting. I created recipes, with the same flavor profile to achieve a fudgy chewy ginger molasses cookie and a chewy crispy ginger molasses cookie.
A fudgy chewy cookie
These cookies have a nice crackled top, and the addition of an egg yolk gives us a darker interior cookie with a soft fudge-like center. I think the “under-baked” qualities intensified the flavors (cloves, cinnamon, ginger, molasses) and led to the cookies having more of a bite to it.
A crispy chewy cookie
To achieve it’s crispy edges I increase the fat content (butter) making the cookies spread faster and to create a flatter cookie. The ratio of flour to fat with using just one egg gave me a more crumbly interior, and the spices came through more mildly.
As someone who is indifferent to ginger molasses cookies, I have to say that both of these cookies turned out great. It’s all about preference, and whether you’re a soft cookie person, or a more crumbly cookie person there’s a ginger molasses cookie for everyone.
Fudgy ginger cookies recipe
Yields: Approximately 25 cookies
Ingredients
2 ⅓ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp kosher salt
¾ cups (171g or 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50g) white granulated sugar
¾ cup (175g) dark brown brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (60g/ml) unsulfured molasses
Demerara or sanding sugar for rolling
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars, until fluffy.
Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
Add in molasses and mix until well combined.
Fold in dry ingredients until dough is formed and there are no flours bits.
Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to 24 hours. If longer than1 hour let come to room temperature before scooping.
Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350°F.
Scoop out balls of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Coat in demerara or sanding sugar.
Place dough balls on a parchment line baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes rotating half way through.
Let cookies rest on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Crispy ginger cookie recipe
Yields: Approximately 25 cookies
Ingredients
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup (227g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup (60g/ml) unsulfured molasses
Demerara or sanding sugar sugar for rolling
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars, until fluffy.
Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
Add in molasses and mix until well combined.
Fold in dry ingredients until dough is formed and there are no flours bits.
Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to 24 hours. If longer than1 hour let come to room temperature before scooping.
Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350°F.
Scoop out balls of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Coat in demerara or sanding sugar.
Place dough balls on a parchment line baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes rotating half way through.
Let cookies rest on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
