chewy molasses ginger cookies

This year’s holiday season is hitting differently for me. This time of year is filled with childhood nostalgia–cookie-baking, the excitement around the first snow, advent calendars, decorating. But it’s also a time of deep sadness and loss for me, as I think about my sweet cat and fellow food-lover Howard who passed away suddenly in December of last year. Getting back to cookie-making is a way of bringing a semblance of normalcy to this disorienting time and relishing in the joy of baking with warming spices. And, I subconsciously developed a cookie recipe that is, in fact, slightly bittersweet in flavor, so I can’t think of a more fitting dessert to encompass this year’s holiday season.

These ginger molasses cookies have a strong ginger flavor from both fresh and ground ginger and a deeply satisfying, chewy texture. They are thin and wonderfully soft, with beautiful cracks through the middle, and a chewy center. I finished off these cookies like a snickerdoodle, rolling them in a mix of sugar–which adds delightful crunch–and sumac, for a bright zingy sourness that contrasts the rich, heavy flavors of the molasses and spices. As a bonus, the sugar and sumac add a festive white and red sparkle to the cookies!

This cookie recipe is adapted from Claire Saffitz’s chewy ginger molasses cookies, which use brown sugar and melted butter to maximize chew. I adapted the spice blend and added some grated fresh ginger for a stronger ginger flavor. To enhance the flavor, I bloomed the spices in the melted butter before adding them to the cookie dough. I also adjusted the flour slightly to produce a thinner, snickerdoodle-like cookie in texture. And of course, the addition of sumac at the end adds a lovely unexpected lightness, which really helps to lift the heavier flavors of the cookie.

Chewy ginger molasses cookies with sumac

Recipe by MoniqueCourse: Cookies and barsDifficulty: Quick bake
Yields

18-20

cookies
Prep time

20

minutes
Bake time

10

minutes

These ginger molasses cookies are soft, chewy, and warmly spiced, with a crunchy and tangy exterior from the sugar sumac coating. The cookies contain both ground ginger and fresh grated ginger for a delightful kick of ginger flavor, with black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves offering extra warmth.

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1/2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

  • 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger

  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 Tbsp baking soda

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/2 cup (107g) packed brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup molasses

  • 3 Tbsp turbinado sugar

  • 1 Tbsp sumac

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan. With the butter on low heat, add in the fresh and ground ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to combine for 30 seconds to one minute, until fragrant. Remove from the pot and put in the fridge to cool for a few minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Once the butter mixture is no longer hot (slightly warm is okay), place it in a large mixing bowl with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture has lightened slightly and come together. Beat in the egg until you have achieved a smooth and light mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated, followed by the molasses.
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix by hand until there are no flour patches remaining. The dough will still be soft at this point. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat. Mix together the demerara sugar and the sumac in a small bowl. Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop out about one tablespoon of dough at a time, rolling it into a smooth ball between your hands–about 1-inch in diameter. Roll the ball in the sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet, spaced about 3-inches apart, since these cookies spread. Repeat with the remaining dough. If any dough does not fit on the sheets, refrigerate it until ready to bake.
  • Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheets and switching oven racks halfway through, until the edges are firm to the touch but the centers are still very soft and have a bit of shine. Let cool on the baking sheet–they will continue to firm up on the sheet.

Notes

  • The cooking time on these cookies is very important, as underbaking them a bit helps contribute to the chewy texture. If you prefer a crunchier cookie, you can bake for a couple minutes longer.
  • This recipe makes thin cookies that spread a good amount (similar to a snickerdoodle). If you like a thicker cookie, add another 2 Tbsp of flour to the batter.
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