Irresistible Brown Butter Molasses Crinkle Cookies: Your Ultimate Holiday Recipe
Prepare to fall in love with these **molasses crinkle cookies**, a truly elevated take on a beloved holiday classic. Each cookie is thick, wonderfully chewy, and perfectly spiced, boasting a deep, rich flavor thanks to sweet molasses and nutty brown butter. Their signature crackled sugar tops make them not only incredibly delicious but also a stunning addition to any festive table.
As a former pastry chef, I understand the enduring charm of traditional ginger molasses cookies, especially during the festive season. However, this particular recipe elevates them to an entirely new level of deliciousness. By incorporating rich brown butter and a symphony of warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, these cookies achieve a soft, gooey center perfectly complemented by crisp, sugary edges and that irresistible crackled top. They are truly a treat for the senses.
These magnificent cookies are not just a joy to eat; they are also incredibly easy to make. Perfect for cookie swaps, Christmas parties, or simply to enjoy with a warm mug of tea, they embody the spirit of the holidays. What’s more, you don’t even need a stand mixer to whip up a batch, making them accessible for every home baker. Get ready to impress everyone with these festive and utterly irresistible delights!
Table of Contents
Getting the Perfect Crinkle
Achieving those beautiful, intricate crinkles on top of your molasses cookies is a delightful bit of baking magic, much like with my brownie crinkle cookies. The science behind it is fascinating: the surface of the cookie dough needs to dry out and set slightly before the rest of the cookie fully spreads and rises in the oven. This creates a harder crust that then cracks and pulls apart as the cookie expands, resulting in that iconic, deeply crinkled texture we all adore.
For this recipe, we employ a crucial technique to guarantee maximum crinkle effect: rolling the dough in granulated sugar not once, but twice. The first coat provides a foundational layer, while the second coat ensures a generous, thick layer of sugar on the surface. This robust sugary coating is essential for forming those distinct cracks during baking, giving your cookies that picture-perfect, festive appearance and a satisfyingly crisp bite.
The Magic of Brown Butter
One of the key elements that truly sets these molasses crinkle cookies apart is the inclusion of **brown butter**. If you’ve never used brown butter in your baking, you’re in for a treat! The process of browning butter involves gently cooking it until the milk solids toast, turning a beautiful amber color and releasing a deeply nutty, complex aroma. This simple step transforms ordinary butter into an ingredient that infuses the entire cookie with an unparalleled depth of flavor. It adds warm, caramel notes and a subtle richness that complements the molasses and spices perfectly, taking these holiday cookies from good to absolutely extraordinary. It’s a game-changer you won’t want to skip!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Carefully selecting and measuring your ingredients is crucial for baking success. Here are some detailed notes and potential substitutions:
Molasses: This dark, viscous syrup is the heart of these cookies, providing their characteristic rich, sweet, and slightly smoky flavor, much like in my gingerbread cake. For the best balance of sweetness and depth, we highly recommend using regular or “unsulphured” molasses, such as Grandma’s brand. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which is significantly less sweet and more bitter, and will alter the flavor profile of your cookies considerably.
Egg & Egg Yolk: This recipe uses one whole large egg for structure and binding, and an additional egg yolk. The extra fat content from the egg yolk is key to achieving that wonderfully soft, tender, and incredibly chewy texture that makes these cookies so irresistible. Ensure both are at room temperature for better emulsification with the butter and sugars, leading to a smoother dough.
Ginger & Spices: Ground ginger is a must for that classic molasses cookie warmth and a mildly spicy kick. Beyond ginger, we add ground cinnamon for its aromatic sweetness. If you’re a fan of a bolder, spicier ginger molasses cookie, consider incorporating a pinch of ground cloves, a touch of nutmeg, or even some finely diced candied ginger for bursts of intense flavor and texture.
Sugars: We use a combination of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Granulated sugar provides the crispness on the exterior and contributes to the crackle effect, especially when used for rolling. Dark brown sugar, with its higher molasses content, adds moisture, depth of flavor, and contributes significantly to the chewy interior of the cookies. Make sure your brown sugar is packed firmly when measuring.
All-Purpose Flour: Proper flour measurement is paramount in baking! Refer to the “Cookie-Making Do’s and Don’ts” section for detailed instructions on how to measure flour accurately to avoid dry, dense cookies. Using a kitchen scale is always the most precise method.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these easy steps to create your perfect batch of brown butter molasses crinkle cookies. Remember, attention to detail is key for the best results!
Step 1: Brown the Butter. Begin by gently cooking the unsalted butter in a pan over medium heat. Watch carefully as the butter melts, foams, and crackles. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until nutty, fragrant brown bits collect at the bottom. Immediately scrape all the delicious brown butter into your mixing bowl and allow it to cool completely to room temperature before proceeding. This step is crucial for flavor development! If you need more guidance, refer to my comprehensive how-to brown butter guide.
Step 2: Whisk in the Sugars. Once your browned butter has cooled to room temperature, add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Whisk vigorously until the sugars are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in color. This creates the sweet foundation for your cookies, ensuring a perfect balance of chewy and crisp textures.
Step 3: Mix in the Wet Ingredients. Introduce the large egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture, whisking until everything is beautifully combined. Then, pour in the rich molasses and whisk until it’s fully incorporated, creating a dark, fragrant, and smooth batter. Ensure your egg and egg yolk are at room temperature for optimal mixing and a more consistent dough.
Step 4: Fold in the Dry Ingredients & Chill. Gently fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep your cookies tender. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. This initial chill helps the dough become easier to handle and prevents excessive spreading.
Step 5: Scoop, Roll, and Chill (Again!). Using a cookie scoop (I recommend a large 3-tablespoon scoop for generous cookies), portion out the dough. Roll each ball generously in granulated sugar, ensuring it’s completely coated. Place the sugar-coated dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2-3 hours. For the absolute best flavor development and texture, chilling overnight is highly recommended!
Step 6: Bake for Perfect Crinkles! Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Before placing the cookies in the oven, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar one more time. This second coating is critical! This time, leave a small pile of sugar on top of each cookie (see photo #6 in the post above for a visual cue). Bake them spaced 2-3 inches apart until they are puffed up and gloriously crackled, which typically takes about 10-13 minutes. Don’t overbake! The centers should still look slightly soft. Once baked, let them cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra sparkle, you can sprinkle more granulated sugar on top while they are still warm!
Cookie-Making Do’s and Don’ts
Baking is a science, and following these essential tips will significantly improve your cookie-making game, ensuring perfect molasses crinkle cookies every time.
DO Use a Kitchen Scale. This is my #1 baking tip for a reason! Accurate measurement of ingredients, especially flour, can make the biggest difference in the final texture and spread of your cookies. Cups can vary wildly, but a scale provides precise measurements, ensuring consistent and perfect results every time.
DO Let the Brown Butter Cool to Room Temperature. Since we’re using hot melted butter, it’s absolutely vital to let it cool completely before combining it with the sugars and other wet ingredients. If the butter is too hot, it will melt the sugar prematurely, which can lead to cookies that spread excessively in the oven and lose their thick, chewy texture.
DO Chill the Dough (Thoroughly!). This step is non-negotiable for superior molasses crinkle cookies. Chilling the dough does several wonderful things: it firms up the butter (preventing excessive spreading), allows the flour to fully hydrate (for a more tender crumb), and gives the flavors time to meld and deepen. The longer chill (2-3 hours, or overnight) results in thicker cookies with gloriously soft and gooey centers.
DO Leave a Pile of Sugar on Top of the Dough Before Baking. This is perhaps the most crucial “do” for achieving those iconic, deep crinkled tops. The extra sugar creates a surface crust that cracks beautifully as the cookie bakes and expands, giving you that signature look and a delightful crunchy sugar shell.
DON’T Overmix the Dough. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can result in tough, dense cookies instead of the desired chewy and tender ones.
DON’T Overbake Your Cookies. Molasses crinkle cookies are best when they are slightly soft in the center. Bake them until the edges are set and the tops are crackled, but the very center still looks a bit underdone. They will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet, ensuring a perfectly chewy interior.
How to Store and Freeze
These delicious molasses crinkle cookies are so good, you might not have many leftovers! But if you do, or if you plan to bake ahead for the holidays, here’s how to store them to maintain their freshness and flavor.
Storing Baked Cookies:
Once completely cooled, store your baked molasses crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully soft and chewy for 2-3 days. For best results, you can place a slice of bread in the container to help maintain their moisture.
Freezing Cookie Dough for Later:
This recipe is excellent for make-ahead baking! After you’ve scooped the dough into balls and rolled them in the first coat of granulated sugar (Step 5 in the instructions), place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Freeze them solid for about 1-2 hours. Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking from Frozen:
When you’re ready to bake a fresh batch, there’s no need to thaw the dough! Just take the frozen cookie dough balls, give them their second roll in granulated sugar (leaving a pile on top), and place them on a baking sheet. Bake them straight from the freezer, adding approximately 2-4 minutes to the original bake time (so, 12-17 minutes total), until they are puffed, crackled, and lightly golden at the edges. This is a fantastic way to have warm, freshly baked cookies ready in minutes!
FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions about making molasses crinkle cookies:
The most common reason for a lack of crinkles is not enough sugar on the surface of the dough before baking, particularly the second roll and the pile left on top. The sugar layer dries out and hardens, creating the tension needed for those deep cracks as the cookie bakes and expands. Also, ensure your oven temperature is accurate; too low, and the surface might not set fast enough.
This issue is almost always due to using too much flour. Over-measuring flour, especially by scooping directly from the bag, is a common pitfall. My top recommendation is to use a kitchen scale to weigh all of your ingredients for accuracy. If you don’t have a scale, use the “spoon-and-level” method: fluff the flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, and then level it off with a straight edge. Also, ensuring your brown butter is properly cooled helps prevent premature sugar melting which contributes to spread.
While you can use light molasses, it will result in a less intense, milder flavor and a lighter-colored cookie. Dark molasses provides the signature robust, deep, and slightly spicy notes that are characteristic of traditional molasses cookies. If you prefer a lighter flavor, light molasses is fine, but for the authentic experience, stick with regular dark molasses.
If your dough is too sticky, it likely needs more chilling time. Place it back in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to an hour. A well-chilled dough is much easier to handle and roll into balls. Ensure your butter was adequately cooled before mixing as well, as warm butter can make the dough soft.
More Holiday Desserts
If you’re still in the mood for baking after mastering these delightful molasses crinkle cookies, here are some other festive and equally delicious holiday dessert recipes to try:
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodles: Another classic elevated with nutty brown butter.
- Glazed Oatmeal Cookies: Comforting, chewy, and topped with a sweet glaze.
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies: Soft, spiced pumpkin cookies, made even better with brown butter.
- Sugar Cookie Cake: All the joy of a sugar cookie in cake form, perfect for sharing.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
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Equipment
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large 3 tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Grandma’s Molasses
- 2 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
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In a stainless steel pan, cook the butter over medium heat. The butter will foam, crackle, and pop- which is normal! Stand by and stir it occasionally. When there are brown bits of butter at the bottom of the pan, and it smells nutty, scrape all of the butter into a large bowl and set it aside to cool to room temperature. You should have about 3/4 cup or 160 grams of browned butter!14 tablespoons (196 g) unsalted butter
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Once at room temperature, whisk in the sugar and dark brown sugar.3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (180 g) dark brown sugar, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
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Then, whisk in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and molasses.1 (50 g) large egg, 1 (18 g) egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup (80 g) Grandma’s Molasses
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Fold in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.2 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon (283 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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Scoop the dough with a large 3 tbsp cookie scoop. Roll each one in granulated sugar and place it on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hours or overnight for the best flavor!1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
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Roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar again, this time leaving a pile of sugar on the tops of the cookies. See photo #6 in the post above for a visual. Bake the molasses crinkle cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart until the tops are crackled, about 10-13 minutes. Let the tray cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle the tops with more granulated sugar if desired.
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Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls and bake them frozen!
Notes
Room-temperature butter is key! If the butter is too hot it will melt the sugar prematurely, which will make the cookies spread excessively in the oven.
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
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Irresistible Brown Butter Molasses Crinkle Cookies: Your Ultimate Holiday Recipe
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