Description
These chewy spice cookies are a delightful blend of warm spices and rich molasses, offering a soft, tender texture with a lightly crisp edge. Perfect for cozy gatherings or as a comforting treat during the cooler months, these cookies bring a harmonious balance of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in every bite.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups (350g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (80g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth, light, and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, molasses, and vanilla bean paste. Mix on medium-high speed for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is silky, light, and creamy.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on medium-low speed just until barely combined. Scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again on low speed until just combined.
- Finish Mixing Dough: Use a rubber spatula to manually fold and mix the dough to ensure any settled dry ingredients at the bottom are fully incorporated.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, mixing thoroughly.
- Scoop and Coat Cookies: Using a 2 oz ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop portions of dough and roll each in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- Place and Bake Cookies: Arrange about 5 cookies evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers appear pale and puffed. Cookies will darken and flatten as they cool.
- Adjust Cookie Shape if Needed: If cookies spread too much during baking, gently nudge the sides back in with a fork as soon as you remove them from the oven.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and enjoy your chewy spice cookies!
Notes
- Room temperature butter helps achieve a smooth and fluffy dough texture.
- Using molasses adds depth of flavor and moisture to the cookies.
- If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, you can slightly increase the amount of cinnamon or ginger.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
- For softer cookies, slightly reduce baking time to 12-13 minutes; for crispier edges, bake closer to 15 minutes.
