Five-Spice Molasses Cookies
Not to sweet five-spice molasses cookies from Jesse Szewczyk's Cookies: The New Classics.
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 Stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl and handmixer
- 1 Oven
- 2 Baking sheets
- Parchment or non-stick baking mats
- Shallow wide bowl
Ingredients
- 3 C all-purpose flour
- 2 t baking soda
- 1 T five-spice powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 12 T -170 gr unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 C - 250 gr light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 C molasses
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1/2 C - 100 gr cane sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix together 3 C all-purpose flour with 2 t baking soda, 1 T five-spice powder and 1/2 t salt.
- In a bowl of a stand-mixer with the paddle attachment, combine 12 T - 170 gr of unsalted softened butter with 1 1/4 C - 250 gr of light brown sugar on medium speed, scraping down the sides and the bottom halfway through, until smooth and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer off and add 1 egg, 1/3 C molasses and 1 T of vanilla extract. Mix again at medium speed until very fluffy and lightened in color, this should take another 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture from step 1. Keep going until a soft dough forms with no pockets of dry flour visible. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F - 175 °C and set 2 racks in the upper and lower middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place 1/2 C - 100 gr of cane sugar in a shallow wide bowl.
- Using an ice-cream scoop (for not so-giant five-spice molasses cookies) or a 1/4 cup measure (for giant five-spice molasses cookies), portion out the dough and roll into large balls.
- Roll the dough balls in the cane sugar and place at least 3" - 7.5 cm apart on your baking sheets (6 to 8 per sheet, depending on the size of your scoop).
- Bake both sheets at the same time, swapping the top and bottom sheet midway through baking, until the tops of the cookies start to crack and puff slightly, 15-18 minutes. Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets before digging in.
Notes
- If wrapped tightly in plastic, the dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for several days before baking. If the dough then has become too firm to scoop, leave it out at room temperature for 15 minutes or so before trying again.
- The cookies will keep up to 1 week in an air-tight container at room temperature.