Easy Holiday Cookies: Molasses Crackle-Tops
The Holiday season wouldn’t be the same without a few festive treats, from gingerbread houses to shortbread. Of course, between shopping for gifts and holiday parties, finding time to bake can be a challenge.
These festive molasses cookies strike the perfect holiday note, in an easy nut-free recipe that’s perfect for cookie swaps or kids’ parties. Sparkling with sugar and smelling like cinnamon and spice, this easy drop cookie recipe makes enough to share.
So throw on some holiday tunes, slip on your Nuknuuk slippers, and whip up a batch of this soon-to-be family favorite.
Molasses Crackle-Tops
Prep Time: 15 Minutes + 1 Hour Chill-Time
Baking Time: 10 Minutes / Batch
Dry Ingredients:
- 4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of cloves
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup of butter
- 1 cup of sugar (+ ½ cup of sugar for coating)
- 1 cup of fancy molasses
Topping:
- ½ cup of sugar for coating
Method:
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves).
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the molasses.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
- Divide the dough into two rounds and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour and up to three days in the fridge.
- Heat oven to 375℉. Roll 1” balls of dough in sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until evenly browned (Tip: do not overcook; the cookies should still be a bit soft when you take them out of the oven - they will firm up as they cool.)
- Cool 1 minute and move to cookie racks to cool completely. Store tightly covered.
- Makes about 5 dozen cookies
