Chewy Molasses Crinkles

I first saw these cookies on Food Gal's blog. She had these really cute little 'ginger babies' that she put in the middle of each cookie (check them out here). I was excited to find out that the recipe came from the Martha Stewarts Cookie book as it was already in my library. I actually bought some small pieces of candied ginger to put in the middle of my cookies but completely forgot when I started to bake them.

I really liked these cookies. I'm not a huge fan of gingersnaps (at least most of the boxed kind) and I'm not sure I've ever had molasses cookies before, but I really liked the texture and flavor of these. They were definitelyy chewy and the molasses and ginger combined to make a complex flavor that made me keep reaching for more cookies. I don't know about 'crinkles' though. There was no crinkle what so ever on the top.

The dough was a pain to work with as it was really sticky. If I had had the time I would have taken the dough out of the fridge, made six cookies, and put the rest of the dough back in the fridge for another couple hours before making more. No matter what I did, the dough kept sticking to my hands (I even tried gloves at one point), it stuck to my spoon, it stuck to the little ice cream scoop I tried. Sticky Sticky Sticky. But so worth it.

The cookies spread out a LOT. So make them small at first or they will all run together and you'll get one big cookie*. They also were really moist and stuck together even after they had cooled so you definitely should use layers of wax paper if you plan on stacking them.

CHEWY MOLASSES CRINKLES

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Put butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by the molasses and oil.

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, form balls of dough. Roll balls in sugar to coat, and space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are flat and centers are set, about 17 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days. Makes about 2 dozen.

Note: I used Grandma's brand of molasses

Note: I found the 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop (or special cookie scoop) to be too big, the cookies were too big and spread into each other. I ended up using my smaller scoop. And then when the dough just got too sticky to work with, I used a couple of spoons.

Note: I needed much more than 1/4 a cup of sugar to roll the dough in. I'm thinking I used at least a half a cup.

Note: In my oven the cookies were done in about 14 minutes.

Some folks seemed to have a problem and said these cookies weren't 'chewy' and actually came out crisp. Not sure what I did to make them chewy but I really liked that about these cookies. Comfort cookies. If I can figure out a way to scoop them without all the sticky, these would become a regular occurrence.

*Of course if the cookies do spread out and make one big cookie it will make it easier to tell the hubby that you were good and only ate one cookie....

Comments

[MOM]

These were so good. You can make these for me anytime. I like that they were sooo chewy. Make me more please.

[jane]

These sound really similar to the ginger cookies I made for the cookie crop this year. I have had to make them several more times as they were too good not to share. I love ginger cookies, but as with you not the crunchy gingersnaps they sell in boxes. I found that if I oiled up my hands I could work with the dough with out too much stickiness. I also rolled up all the balls at once and then rolled them in the sugar. I rerolled each batch before I put them in the oven. The more sugar on the outside the more "crinkly" they became.

[Mrs. L]

Jane - Thanks for the tips. Though even the photo of the cookies in the book don't show the "crinkled" look on the top. No matter. They tasted wonderful!

[Arch]

OMG these are awesome... my grandmother used to make these and when they came out all warm and chewy, I thought I was in heaven. *sigh* I miss her kitchen, LOL... I have a bunch of her recipes, but I just cannot get them to come out the same way ;)