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Put on Your Cake Pants

From the kitchen of a semi-vegetarian with a serious sweet tooth

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

molasses crinkle cookies

After the classic chocolate chip cookie, the cookie I remember most vividly from my childhood is the molasses crinkle. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and topped with a subtle sugary sparkle, the molasses crinkle strikes me as the cookie version of Throwback Thursday: often forgotten but enthusiastically embraced whenever someone dusts off the old recipe card and shares it with their friends and family. Their ingredients are basic (no Himalayan salt or Madagascar bourbon vanilla here!) and their appearance is unassuming, but just take a bite and you’ll instantly taste the warmth and comfort that these molasses crinkle cookies embody.

molasses crinkle cookies

Even though the spices in molasses crinkles are similar to the ones found in gingerbread, I’ve never thought of them as particularly festive (not visually, anyway), so I set out to make a holiday-worthy version by dipping them in white chocolate and adding colored sprinkles. It only takes a few extra minutes, which is a small price to pay for such pizzazz!

molasses crinkle cookies

The past few weeks have been incredibly busy and there are some big changes on the horizon (this is obviously true on the national level, but I’m talking about on the personal level; more on that in a future post), so I’ve been a little slow to get into the holiday spirit this year. Luckily, baking a batch of these molasses crinkle cookies, writing a few Christmas cards, and playing some seasonal music were all I needed to jump-start that festive feeling. What are your tricks for getting into the holiday spirit when your to-do list is a mile long?

molasses crinkle cookies

Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Yields 48
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Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup shortening, at room temperature
  2. 1 cup packed brown sugar
  3. 1 egg
  4. 1/4 cup molasses
  5. 2 1/4 cups flour
  6. 2 teaspoons baking soda
  7. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  8. 1 teaspoon ginger
  9. 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  11. 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  12. 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
  13. 1/2 teaspoon oil
  14. sprinkles
Instructions
  1. Cream together the shortening and brown sugar. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the molasses.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Shape the dough into 1-1 1/4 inch balls and dip the tops in granulated sugar. Place the balls 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Using your finger or an eyedropper, place 2-3 drops of water on top of each. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool before dipping them.
  4. Using a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the white chocolate and oil. Dip half of each cookie in the white chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. While the chocolate is still wet, add sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
  1. Original molasses crinkles recipe from Betty Crocker.
Put on Your Cake Pants http://putonyourcakepants.com/
I’m sharing this post at the following link parties: Recipe of the Week, The Wednesday Showcase, Welcome Home Wednesdays, and Fiesta Friday.

molasses crinkle cookies

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Comments

    • Thanks, Maggie! I was thinking of bringing some in to my office as well…I’m sure they’ll be well-received 🙂

      Reply

  5. I love a good molasses cookie, and these totally look festive to me! I always think of molasses cookies around the holidays anyways. I’d gladly devour about a dozen of these cookies and not think twice! (After all, Santa is fueled by cookies, right?) Cookies look delicious, and I can’t wait to hear more about the changing plans!

    Reply

    • I never think of molasses cookies as holiday cookies, but perhaps that’s because my mom made them throughout the year – lucky us! I’m pretty sure most of us are fueled by cookies this time of year, not just Santa 😉

      Reply

  8. These look SO yummy, Mara! So festive with the addition of those colorful sprinkles! I can only imagine how next-level the white chocolate makes all those holiday spices taste! Thank goodness there’s a computer screen (oh and several state lines) between me and these cookies right now, or I would devour the whole batch.

    -Lauren-

    PS- can’t wait to read your post on all the big changes on the horizon 😉

    Reply

    • Thanks, Lauren! That computer screen separation is both a blessing and a curse, isn’t it?! And believe me, if you were here, you wouldn’t be able to eat the whole batch – you’d have some serious cookie-eating competitors 😉

      Reply

  13. Mara,
    I love everything molasses and then to see that they are dipped in white chocolate and are so festive! These are truly a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Thank you for sharing them at Fiesta Friday!

    Reply

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