Dessert Cookies: Ginger Molasses Cookies

By SharonE

These scrumptious Ginger Molasses Cookies have a nice crisp edge with soft, chewy centers. Can you say delicious!?

From the Model Bakery.

Ingredients

• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (580g)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
• 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter (300g)
• 1/2 cup un-sulfured molasses (not blackstrap) (120ml)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup demerara or raw sugar (100g)

Preparation

Step 1

Sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Beat the granulated sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on medium speed, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until light in color, about 2 minutes. (Or cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until light in color, about 5 minutes.) Gradually beat in the molasses. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in thirds and mix to make a soft dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to scoop, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°F) gas 4. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.

Using a number-16 food-portion scoop with about a 1/4-cup (60ml) capacity, scoop out the dough, dividing it into 16 portions. Roll each into a ball. Put the demerara sugar in a shallow bowl and dip just one side of each ball in the sugar. Arrange the balls, sugar-side up, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart on the lined pans. You will only be able to fit four cookies on each pan.

Bake, switching the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies have cracked tops and are set around the edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes, transfer to wire cooling racks and then cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.