I much prefer eating molasses crinkles to that of a gingerbread man. Many of the same flavors highlighted, yet none of the guilt associated with biting off the head of the gingerbread man and knowing that poor Mrs. Gingerbread man will have to explain to all the little ginger children why daddy isn’t coming home. And then they will all have to go to therapy for years, go broke and get evicted from the gingerbread house, and I simply can’t deal with the guilt of all that! But a crinkle, that’s nothing. I can rip into those with the ease of knowing I’m not breaking up a family. 🙂
A crinkle is such a homely cookie, often passed up by someone who has never had one. But to the person who passes on them from looks alone I say, serves you right. You are missing out on a spicy, old fashion, wonderful with tea cookie. This particular recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated and is for soft and chewy cookies. I like to bake them a tad longer than what it calls for because I like my molasses cookies a little more chewy than soft, everyone has a preference.
So this holiday season before you break out your gingerbread cookie cutters, think long and hard about the consequences of your actions. Wont you help Mr. Gingerbread, and so many needy others like him. Just say “no” and make molasses crinkles instead.
 Molasses Crinkle Cookies
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for dipping
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
12 TBSP unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup light or dark molasses
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter with brown and granulated sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses;beat until fully incorporated, abuot 20 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to the lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl down once. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Dough will be soft.
4. Using TBSP measure, scoop heaping TBSP of dough and roll into a ball. Roll ball in sugar and place onto prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 11 minutes(I wanted a a less soft cookie so I baked mine longer about 13).
5. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Makes 22 cookies.
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Claire says
I LOVE molasses cookies. The recipe I have makes a whopping 6 dozen, however. I think I’ll probably make these to give away in Christmas treat tins! Yours look perfect!
Brilynn says
Now I’m not opposed to being a homewrecker per se, but these definitely look like they’re a lot faster to make and eat, none of the endless rolling and cutting and rolling and whatnot…
Jeff says
I like the soft ginger crinkles to the hard ass gingerbread people any day 😉
Patricia Scarpin says
Peabody, the pictures look awesome!
I had a good laugh with your gingerbread concern. ;D
I was wondering about a special treat for one of my neighbours but I guess I can stop looking now.
Lisa says
har! I feel the exact same guilt when devouring a gingerbread person!
I heart molasses/ginger cookies and I make them often.. the chewier the better! 😀
These look divine, wish I had a plate in front of me right now to go with my morning coffee!
Julie O'Hara says
I ADORE these cookies. My great aunt used to make them and I always looked forward to them when we visited for the holidays. I loved the flavor, but it was the soft, chewy texture that did it for me, and still does. Yours look exactly like hers. It reminds me that I need to try these myself.
Tanna says
Simple, easy, very tasty and quilt free! The winner!
Jann says
I am no homewrecker-and will leave the gingerbread man alone this year!Your cookies look better!
Jessica says
Hi there,
I have a question, if you’re willing to share a tip. I am struggling to take photos of my food. I love your photos and I went through each of your archives to look at where you started, and how you progressed – which is impressive to say the least. What brought you to the point you are now, where you’re taking such great, bright and close up photos (not to mention winning prizes!) – a lens, a light effect?
Thanks! and someone was kind enough to ship me candy canes and I’m making your peppermint cookies tonight!
peabody says
Jessica, I emailed you back. So glad some one sent you candy canes!
Jessica says
Thank you for the email Peabody. We have a fancy camera but I think that actually lends itself to disaster. There’s too many settings and options!
Rosa says
Those cookies are mighty beautiful and I’m sure that they taste like heaven!!!
Sandi @ the WhistleStop Cafe says
I like my gingerbread men soft on the inside, a little crusty on the outside.
In fact, I made some this weekend!
We like teaching them to swim~ or at least bob in a glass of milk.:)
Nicole says
Beautiful cookies!
Kristen says
This is a great post… I was laughing out loud reading it! I just got done making the Gingerbread Man cookies Sandi posted over at Whistlestop cafe, and I just ate my first one, feeling the exact same guilt you wrote about. Yikes – I AM a homewrecker! Poor little gingerbread men!
Jo says
i’ve been reading your site for a while but never made a recipe before. I just made these and they came out amazing! My coworkers love them.
Thanks!