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Brown butter molasses crinkle cookie with crackled sugar top.
Summer Dempsey

Brown Butter Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Soft and chewy brown butter molasses crinkle cookies made with dark brown sugar, warm spices, and a crackly sugar coating. Cozy, rich, and packed with deep molasses flavor.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 19 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 155

Ingredients
  

Wet
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, browned
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
For Rolling
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar optional, for sparkle

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Cookie Sheet

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty- now you have browned butter. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the brown butter, dark brown sugar, and molasses until glossy and smooth.
  3. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
  4. Add flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Use a spatula to fold until a soft dough forms.
  5. Cover and refrigerate 45–60 minutes, or until scoopable and slightly firm.
  6. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls, roll in the sugar mixture, and place on a lined baking sheet.
  7. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 8-9 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked.
  8. Let cool on the pan 5 minutes.

Notes

  • Don’t skip cooling the brown butter — hot butter can make the dough oily.
  • Want them puffier? Chill the dough 2 hours.
  • Want them flatter/chewier? Reduce chill time to 20 minutes.
  • For stronger molasses flavor: increase molasses to ½ cup and add 2 tablespoon extra flour.
  • For crisp edges: roll twice in sugar.