“Crackle Top” Molasses Cookies(A Soft & Chewy Holiday Classic!)
A classic, old-fashioned recipe for ‘Crackle Top Molasses Cookies.’ This is a simple, one-bowl drop cookie made with vegetable oil instead of butter. The rich, spicy dough (flavored with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves) is rolled into balls, coated in sugar, and baked until the tops develop a signature crackled appearance.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅓ cup white sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, mix the vegetable oil and 1 cup of sugar.
- Add the egg and beat well.
- Stir in the molasses. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Add more flour if needed to make a firm dough.
- Shape the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls.
- Roll the balls in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar.
- Place the dough balls 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the tops are cracked.
- Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let them cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- This is a classic ‘crackle top’ cookie, which gets its signature look from being rolled in sugar before baking.
- The dough will be soft. The article suggests adding more flour if needed to make it firm enough to roll.
- The cookies spread significantly during baking, so be sure to space them 3 inches apart.