Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies
An absolute Christmas classic, these Gingerbread Molasses Cookies feature a unique flavor twist thanks to the addition of cardamom! These crackly top gingerbread cookies are divinely chewy, rich in flavor, and very easy to make! Perfect for Christmas dinner, or as a gift to a loved one!
What’s in a name?
I don’t know about you, but I never actually know what exactly to call cookies like these! Are they gingerbread cookies? Ginger molasses cookies? Gingersnaps? Molasses cookies? While all these types of cookies generally contain the same ingredients, they are all unique in their own right. Gingersnaps should be, well, snappy! They should have a crisp texture and should snap apart when resistance is applied. Gingerbread cookies are generally rolled out and then cut out with various shapes and decorated. Lastly, these particular cookies can be considered ginger molasses cookies or just simply molasses cookies! These cookies contain both molasses and ginger, and are chewy in texture, with no discerning ‘snap’ in their final texture!
How to Make the Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies
Making these Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies is pretty straight forward, especially if you’ve made cookies before! Start by beating the butter and sugar together, for around 3 or so minutes. When finished, it should look light and fluffy, and be about doubled in volume. Next, add in the molasses, egg, and the vanilla. Beat this on high for another 2 minutes. Then, add in the dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. I find it’s best to weigh the flour. Too much or too little flour can really throw the texture of the cookie off, so I find weighing it ensures the perfect amount time in and time out! Beat the dry ingredients in until they are just combined. Then simply scoop out the Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet, roll them in sugar, and then rest the cookies in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking!
RESTING The Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies
I know that it is so tempting to just throw the cookies into the oven when we are done mixing – I mean who wants to wait? But it’s truly crucial to the cookies to give them a short little 30 minute resting period in the freezer. Allowing the cookie dough to rest has many advantages. The first is that it allows the fats in the dough to solidify and cool. This means that when they enter the oven they are going to spread out WAY less! This will allow the cookie to retain its shape and chewy texture. Furthermore, allowing the dough to rest also gives the sugar and flour a chance to absorb any free floating liquid in the dough. This leads to a more uniform cookie, but also controls spread too (Think more free floating liquid = runnier dough = more spreading)! Chilling the dough also slightly dehydrates the dough, thereby concentrating the flavors in the cookie a bit as well.
Get the Recipe: Cardamom Gingerbread Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 1 cup White Sugar,, plus 1/4 for rolling cookies in
- 1/3 cup Molasses
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 ½ cups (300g) All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly †
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ginger
- 3/4 tsp Cardamom
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Instructions
- In a medium to large sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk well to combine, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, or stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), add the butter and sugar, and beat for 3 minutes, it should look light and fluffy, and expanded in size.
- Add in molasses, egg, and vanilla, to the batter and beat on high for another 2 minutes, scraping at the edges periodically. Add in the flour mixture and mix on low until combined, scraping at the edges. Ensure it is well combined, but do not overmix.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using your hands or a scoop, arrange cookies to be about 2 tbsp each. Roll each cookie in the additional white sugar, ensuring you coat the entire cookie in sugar. Place all the cookies onto the baking sheet (do not worry about arrangement yet), and place into the freezer for 30 minutes to rest (don’t skip, see above!)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove baking sheet from the freezer, and arrange cookies evenly onto 3 baking sheets fitted with parchment paper (I do 8-9 per sheet). Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Note: If baking in batches, keep cookies cold before baking by keeping them in the fridge.
These cookies are phenomenal! So chewy and buttery. Wonderful with a cup of tea on a winter afternoon. These are going to be a staple in our house.