These updated cookies really are the Best of All Spiced Molasses Cookies due to the muscavado sugar used. The original recipe with it’s crinkle finish is from “Julia Child and More Company” and has always been one of my favorites.

In order to accommodate the new sugar, I have changed the recipe slightly. These cookies will have crisp edges but will be soft in the centers.

Muscavado Sugar

Several posts ago, I talked about the different sugars used in baking. Among them was one that intrigued me the most - the muscavado dark brown sugar. Also known as Barbados sugar, it's very robust and the least refined raw cane sugar in which all of the molasses is retained.

It comes in a dark and light version with a rich, intense flavor. Muscavado sugar has a wet, sandy texture and has a stronger taste than regular brown sugar due to the increased molasses. Light muscovado sugar is about one sixth molasses, and dark about one third molasses.

It retains the most complex sweetness including the butterscotch flavors in candies and puddings. This sugar is key to the more intense flavor of these Best of All Spiced Molasses Cookies.

Not normally found in most grocery stores, it is available online

Substitution for Muscavado Sugar

If muscovado sugar is not to be found, substitute the same amount of dark brown sugar and use dark or full flavored molasses. That will get you closest.

Double Pan the Best of All Spiced Molasses Cookies

It is important to double pan these cookies as they feature really dark brown sugar and molasses which tends to over brown the bottoms. Placing one baking sheet on top of another will solve this problem. The cookie on the left was baked on a single pan while the cookie on the right was doubled panned.

Easy to Over Bake

Because these cookies puff up in the oven, it is easy to overbake them. After the initial baking, add a few minutes one or two at a time. They should be puffy, but not wet in the center. Usually 3 to 4 minutes more will do it.

These deeply flavored, richly spiced Best of All Molasses Cookies are extremely satisfying and perfect by themselves or with a cup of tea…..or coffee.

The Best of All Spiced Molasses Cookies

Print Recipe

Muscavado sugar is the key to these intensly flavored, enormously satisfying Best of All Molasses Cookies.

Author: Helen S Fletcher
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Yield: 32
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups salted peanuts, divided (140 grams or 5 ounces
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams or 2 ¼ grams)
1 cup muscovado sugar,(200 grams or 7 ounces)
¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams or 6 ounces or 1 ½ sticks)
1 large egg
⅓ cup mild molasses
2 cups all purpose flour (280 grams or 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment. Double pan by placing the lined baking sheet on top of another baking sheet. This will keep the bottoms of the cookies from over browning or burning.
Place the peanuts in a food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop. Remove ½ cup and set aside. To the remaining peanuts in the processor, add ⅓ cup granulated sugar and pulse to finely chop the peanuts. Remove to a bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar and ½ cup chopped peanuts until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg.
Followed by the molasses. Scrape often.
In the meantime, combine the flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add to the creamed mixture
and beat until well combined.
The dough will be soft but can be shaped. Do not refrigerate or the peanut/sugar mixture will not adhere to the cookies. Just use a light touch. Scoop the dough with a #40 disher/scooper, scraping it off well. Roll in the sugar/peanut mixture.
Alternatively, these can be shaped by rolling about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough into a ball then rolling it in the peanut/sugar mixture.
Place 12 equally spaced cookies on a half sheet pan as these will flatten and spread.
Bake for 9 minutes on the center rack, turn the pan and bake for 3 to 4 minutes more.
They will have flattened out, have a crinkle finish and be slightly puffy. Cool slightly, then remove to cooling racks.

Notes

These keep well for 4 or 5 days in an airtight tin.

Keywords: molasses cookies, Julia Child, muscavado sugar, peanuts, crinkle cookie, spice cookie, spiced molasses cookies

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