Soft & Chewy Gluten-Free Molasses Cookie Recipe
These gluten-free molasses cookies are perfect for the holiday season. Soft and chewy with the delightful crunch of the sugar coating, and full of robust and comforting flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and of course molasses. It's reminiscent of fall and winter, cozy and warm, and comforting to a "T". Bring a batch of these simple, yet delicious, chewy cookies to your holiday gathering, or cookie exchange, and everyone will be swooning! It's one of my go-to cookie recipes!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Butter softened
- 1/4 cup Molasses unsulphured
- 1 Egg room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon ground
- 1/2 tsp Ginger ground
- 1/2 tsp Cloves ground
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and packed dark brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This process helps incorporate air, giving the cookies a chewy texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix, as this can affect the cookie texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until well combined. Whisking aerates the dry ingredients, which can help with an even rise and balanced flavors.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, a little at a time. Mix just until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Avoid overmixing, as gluten-free dough can become dense if mixed too long.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop and the dough to firm up. This chilling step also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking. If refrigerating for longer (up to 1 day), let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before rolling, as this will make it easier to scoop.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the granulated sugar onto a plate for coating.
- Roll the Dough Balls: Using a medium cookie scoop or large cookie scoop (about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons), scoop the dough and roll it into balls between your palms. Then, roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar until it’s evenly coated. Place the sugar-coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. The cookies should appear puffed and slightly cracked on the top but will still look soft in the center. They’ll continue to bake and set on the baking sheet as they cool.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes to firm up slightly. Then, use a spatula to carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled completely remove from the cooling rack and they can be stored in an airtight container, or a freezer bag.
Servings: 15 cookies