Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

Mark Enter

3¾ cups all-purpose flour (17 oz / 488g)

1 tablespoon baking soda (0.63 oz / 18g)

2½ teaspoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1½ sticks unsalted butter (6 oz / 170g),

melted and cooled to room temperature

1½ cups packed dark brown sugar

(10.6 oz / 300g)

2 large eggs (3.5 oz / 100g), at room

temperature

½ cup unsulfured molasses (5.6 oz / 160g)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

(0.33 oz / 9g)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup demerara sugar, for rolling

A good molasses cookie should achieve harmony belween the sweetness

brown sugar, the bitterness of molasses, and the gentle heat of spices. This

cookie does all that, but where it really delivers is the texture: perfectly sof

and chewy. The dough can be portioned and frozen ahead of time, making

these your all-purpose holiday cookie.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking

soda, ginger, pepper, allspice, salt, and cloves. Set aside.

Make the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or

in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar on

medium speed until slightly pale, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a

time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fluffy, about 1 minute.

Add the molasses, vinegar, and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce

the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating

just until the last trace of flour disappears. The dough will be very soft

and sticky.

Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and

press into a 6 x 6-inch square. Refrigerate the dough until firm, at least

1 hour and up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven and prepare the pans: Arrange two oven racks in the

upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two rimmed

baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into balls: Place the demerara sugar in a small bowl.

Remove one square of dough from the refrigerator, portion into l-ounce

(28g) pieces, and roll each into a ball (they should be about 1 inches in

diameter). Toss the balls in the demerara sugar to coat all over, then place.

on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 3 inches apart (the cookies

will spread during baking). Refrigerate any balls that don't fit on the

baking sheets.

Bake: Bake on the upper and lower racks until the edges are firm to lhe

touch but the centers are still very soft and slightiy shiny; 1210 14 minute.

switching racks and rotating the sheets front to back halfway through."

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 hitutes on the baking sheets belte

valine a thin spatula to transfer theM t0 a wies . k, epearthe rolligand

baking process with the remaining dough and demerara sugar.

DO AHEAD

The cookies, stored airtight at room

temperature, will keep up to 5 days. The

dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

You can also roll the dough into balls and

toss in sugar, then arrange them in tight

rows on a parchment-lined baking sheet,

and freeze solid. Transfer the balls to a

resealable plastic freezer bag and keep

frozen up to 2 months. No need to thaw

before baking, but extend the bake time

by a couple of minutes.

" The cookies will look nearly raw in the

center when you pul them out of the oven

but they will continue to set as they cod.

The key to the soft and chewy texture,

of these cookles is, simply, undertaking

them. If you like a crispier spice coolie

bake them 2 minutes longer.

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