Can I use blackstrap molasses in ginger molasses cookies?

It is not recommended for this recipe. Blackstrap is boiled longer and tastes bitter and mineral heavy, which makes the cookies dark, hard and harsh. Regular unsulphured molasses gives the deep caramel flavor and the chewy texture the recipe is built on.

Do ginger molasses cookies really need the chill time?

Yes, at least one hour. The dough is soft and the butter needs to firm up, or the cookies spread thin and lose their chewy centers. Chilled dough also rolls cleanly in the coarse sugar, which is what produces the crackled tops.

How do I freeze ginger molasses cookie dough?

Roll the chilled dough into balls, coat them in coarse sugar, and freeze solid on a parchment lined tray. Bag them for up to three months and bake from frozen at 350 degrees, adding one to two minutes to the bake time.

Why are my ginger molasses cookies hard the next day?

They were almost certainly baked two minutes too long, or the flour was scooped heavy. Pull them when the centers still look soft and slightly shiny, and rest them on the hot tray for ten minutes; they finish setting outside the oven.

Can I make ginger molasses cookies without fresh ginger?

You can, and they will still be good cookies. Add an extra half teaspoon of ground ginger to compensate. The fresh ginger brings a bright, citrusy sparkle on top of the warm base spice, so use it whenever a knob of ginger is in the house.

Ginger Molasses Cookies, Soft And Chewy With Crackled Tops

Ingredients

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2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 pinch black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coarse raw sugar, for rolling

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the molasses, fresh ginger and vanilla, scraping the bowl once.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain. Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment. Put the coarse sugar in a small bowl.
Scoop the dough into balls of about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Roll each ball in the coarse sugar until heavily coated and set 2 inches apart on the sheets.
Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the tops are crackled and puffed and the centers still look slightly soft.
Rest the cookies on the hot sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Author: Chef Rita
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 115
Sugar: 11
Sodium: 95
Fat: 4
Saturated Fat: 3
Unsaturated Fat: 1
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 19
Fiber: 1
Protein: 1
Cholesterol: 15