Spiced Sugar Cookie ‘Spicedoodles’
I’m sure you’re wondering, are “Spicedoodles” really a thing? It’s a good question, and I don’t really know the answer, but for the purposes of this post we’re just gonna go with it. Calling these Spiced Sugar Cookies might be more correct, but calling them spicedoodles is certainly a lot more fun. Regardless of what they’re called though, they’re super delicious, so you should probably read on.
These were one of my holiday creations that I’m only just now getting around to sharing (oops), but they were a great holiday party cookie definitely worth cataloguing for future use. The recipe is a cinch to make (does anyone actually say that anymore?) and they’re impressively delicious. I brought them to a holiday party that our family friends hosted, and every raved about them. My theory is that spice cookies seem so plain and boring that there’s always an element of surprise when you bite into one, and find that they are actually shockingly wonderful. Happens to me every season. I never get tired of the reminder.
These cookies are light on the molasses, so their flavor is more sugar cookie with warm winter spices than other spiced cookies. I love a good molasses cookie – the chewier the better – but for a crowd you don’t know, I sometimes find it better to use more approachable cookies. These little beauties have enough warmth and personality from the combination of spices to make them a total joy to eat, but they aren’t so spiced that they would offend a more moderate palate. They truly are a crowd pleaser.
And they’re pretty, huh? Not only do these cookies totally knock it out of the park in the flavor department, but they also bake up into perfect little circles, with the requisite crinkles on top that are so typical of holiday spice cookies. They’re festive and fun and delicious and easy. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (all-purpose would also work)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and molasses, and continue beating for 1-2 more minutes until the mixture is well incorporated and becomes light brown.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat on low-medium speed until all of the ingredients are just combined.
- Roll the dough into heaping tablespoon-sized balls, and roll in the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar to coat. Place cookies a few inches apart on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies are set on the edges and cracking across the tops. They will still be quite soft and tender. Let cookies cook for 5 minutes on their cookie sheets before transferring to a wire cooling rack, and let them cool completely.
