Mrs. Hewitt's Molasses Crinkles
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. plus 1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling dough
• 1/3 c. dark brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. dark molasses
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, cloves, allspice, black pepper and salt, and reserve.
In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated sugar and dark brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined.
Reduce speed to low, add molasses and mix until thoroughly incorporated, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl and mixing thoroughly. Add flour mixture in thirds, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Place about 3/4 cup granulated sugar into a wide, shallow bowl. Form dough into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies are browned and slightly puffy, with cracks in the tops, about 11 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking (if using a convection oven, check on them at 9 minutes, and if still slightly wet in the cracks, bake an additional 30 seconds). Do not overbake. Remove from oven, cool cookies on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
