Ingredients to make Molasses Crisps
- Wet Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
Dietary Substitutions
- Equipment
Related Recipes
More Cookie recipes

These Molasses Crisp Cookies have crispy edges, a soft, chewy center and a spicy bite from the molasses and warm spices. This is a vintage recipe my mom has made every holiday since the mid-1970’s. These cookies make for a perfect holiday food gift. They keep well and are perfect to stack on a holiday cookie tray or package them in a holiday tin for a quick hostess gift.

Ingredients to make Molasses Crisps
- Wet Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
Dietary Substitutions
- Equipment
Related Recipes
More Cookie recipes

Ingredients to make Molasses Crisps

Wet Ingredients

Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
Molasses is a natural sweetener with a thick, dark syrup consistency, made made by boiling raw sugarcane or sugar beet juice.
Eggs are produced by female chickens and are important in baking because their proteins provide structure, they act as a natural leaving agent by trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. Always use a high-quality, all-natural brand made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol.

Dry Ingredients

All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Instant ClearJel is a modified food starch used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent, used for pie fillings creating a clear, smooth texture rather than cloudy. In baked goods it helps retain moisture and produces a light, tender texture.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.
Cinnamon comes from dried bark from the tropical Asian cinnamon tree. There are two types Cassia and Ceylon, found as whole sticks or ground. Cassia has a warm, sweet flavor and is more commonly used, while Ceylon known as “true cinnamon”, has an intense spicier bite.
Ginger is a root from a plant grown in Southeast Asia. Ginger can be found in a variety of ways such as the dried or fresh root, ground, or crystallized (candied) pieces.
Cloves are the dried flower buds from clove trees, grown in the Spice Islands. Whole cloves are used to infuse flavor into culinary dishes, while ground cloves add a warm, spicy kick to baked goods.
Pink salt is a natural rock salt mined near the Himalayas that contains trace minerals

Baker’s Tips

The original recipe called for margarine which was popular for baking in the 70’s, however, I only use real butter in my baking for an all-natural taste. Margarine has a lack of flavor due to the fact its made of oil with a high water content and lower fat content. TIP: Melt the butter in the microwave about 45 seconds. Let it cool while preparing the cookie dough.
TIP: When measuring out molasses, lightly spray a liquid measuring cup with canola spray to ensure it will pour out easier
Be sure to chill the dough after you make it for at least 2 hours or even overnight. This will give plenty time to let the dough meld together to provide a spicer bite. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set out the dough about 20 minutes to make the dough easy to scoop. You want the dough to still be somewhat firm in order to roll into balls.
This cookie calls for baking soda instead of baking powder. When it mixes with the molasses, a natural acid, it causes a chemical reaction to make the cookies rise while baking. As they cool on the cookie sheet, they flaten out and create a crispy edge, with a soft, chewy center.
Be sure to use good quality natural molasses. I used Grandma’s brand original, however, for more robust flavor, use Grandma’s robust blend. I’ve also modified the original recipe by adding a bit more of the spices to ensure a warm, bold taste.

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Here are some tips for gluten free baking

Use a premium gluten-free flour blend.
Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
Add 1-2 tablespoons additional liquid (use the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help hydrate the flour.
Reduce the oven temperature by at least 25° to bake low and slow, since gluten-free flour is delicate and tend to burn before the center is cooked through.
Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days. The refrigerator tends to dry them out more, so it is best to freeze up to 6 months.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

Swap out the butter with vegan butter. I use Violife Plant Butter.
To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.

Equipment

Recommended tools: (affiliate links)

stand mixer

mixing bowl

liquid measuring cup

measuring cups and spoons

baking sheet