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thin dark molasses cookies with cracked surfaces and a few coarse sugar crystals on a plain plate, with one broken crisp edge visible
Andre Lewis

Crisp Molasses Cookies

These bake thinner and crisper than the gingerbread crinkles later in the tin. Melted butter and small portions help them spread, while an extra minute in the oven dries the centers enough to snap after cooling. Keep the molasses moderate rather than adding more for color. Too much turns a crisp cookie bendy, and a longer bake won't neatly undo that change.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Total Time 44 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled until just warm
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses not blackstrap
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses and egg yolk until smooth.
  2. Whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, then stir into the butter mixture just until combined.
  3. Divide into 24 small portions, roll into balls and flatten to 1/4-inch-thick discs on the sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  4. Bake one sheet at a time for 11 to 12 minutes, until the surfaces are cracked and the centers look dry rather than glossy.
  5. Let stand on the sheets for 5 minutes, then cool fully on racks; the cookies become crisp as they cool.