Molasses Crinkletops

Remember when I said that I was done with holiday baking for the year?

Yep, the call of the oven caught my ear again :-)

This time it was Molasses Crinkletops, a super yummy cookie that my mom makes every year.  I loved them as a kid, but I can see where the spicy flavors would turn off children- including my own.

Click to see the recipe at Allrecipes.com!

More for me, right?

Anyway, these deep brown cookies are sweet and spiced with cloves, cinnamon, and molasses.  The cocoa really rounds out their flavor.  I've always loved the way they crack on top when they cook (hence the name...).

I've occasionally had issues with the top of cookies (other recipes too...) not cracking they way they are supposed to- if you have that problem too I'd check to make sure you followed the advice I found at Seasoned Advice...

• The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen)
• Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set)
• Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated)
• Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)
• Making too thin of cookies (you need enough mass in the middle so it finishes cooking after the top's set).
• Mixing the dough too much (you don't want to develop gluten; it needs to be tender enough to crack easily)

If you're looking for a delicious "grown up" cookies, these are the way to go!

Molasses Crinkletops

3/4 C butter, softened

1 1/4 C granulated sugar, divided

1 egg

1 C light molasses

4 C all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl beat butter and 1 C sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and molasses.  Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a separate bowl.

2. With mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Beat until just blended.  

3. Divide dough in half.  Pat each half into a flattened 1" thick square on waxed paper.  Wrap dough and chip 1 hour or until dough is firm enough to shape.  Cut into tablespoon-sized squares.  Roll each square into a ball and roll in remaining 1/4 C sugar.

4. Place cookies 1" apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes in a 375-degree oven or until evenly browned.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before removing to rack to cool completely.  Store tightly covered.