White Chocolate Drizzled Ginger Molasses Cookies

It’s wild to me that in an unprecedented year where the commitments are zero, the activities are contained to your own house and nothing is really going on — and still somehow the season just speeds up with each day. I am unsure of how it can possibly be Christmas next week when I’m pretty sure it was just Thanksgiving last week.

With the first skiff of snow outside and my childhood favorite, Manheim Steamroller booming in the background, I called the kids away from their respective corners of the house and announced as seriously and with as much drama as possible, ‘it’s time to make Christmas.’

The tweens shrugged and sauntered off yelling over their shoulders to save them some cookies. Apparently they’re too cool this year to help mom. But Scarlet lit up and immediately went to the pantry and dug out a bag of Christmas themed sprinkles we bought on impulse. She could care less what we made as long as it included the sprinkles, but I wanted to make molasses cookies. So, we compromised and did both. The result was better than I expected. The cookies were delightfully delicious and beautiful and much easier than actually icing a bunch of cookies, that I knew I had to share.

Molasses cookies might be one of my favorite cookies ever and this recipe is my all-time favorite. The candied ginger makes them so special but if you can’t find it at the grocery store, just skip it. The cinnamon, powdered ginger and cloves give the cookie plenty of sweet spice. The get perfectly crackly on top, just watch carefully and don’t overcook them. The result is a crisp on the edge and soft chewy in the middle cookie. Scarlet was my sprinkle operator and she took her job extremely seriously. I think I’m still sweeping up sprinkles days later, but it was worth it. We made a double batch and stored a few in the freezer. I can’t recommend enough, having cookies in the freezer, ready and available when the moment strikes and you just have to have one.

White Chocolate Drizzled Ginger Molasses Cookies

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup canola oil

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 1 egg

• 2 cups flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ginger

• 1/2 tsp cloves

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup candied ginger chopped

• Granulated sugar

• 10 ounce bag white chocolate chips melted

• Holiday sprinkles

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat brown sugar, oil, molasses and egg together until mixture is smooth. Using a sharp knife, chop up candied ginger into tiny pieces.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and candied ginger. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, beating until just combined. Form dough into one tablespoon size cookie balls. Roll in granulated sugar, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until they have spread into a circle and there are several cracks along the top of each cookie.  

Remove cookies from oven and allow them to cool on the tray for five to 10 minutes. In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each 30 seconds until the white chocolate is melted and smooth.

Decorate your molasses cookies any way you prefer! Dip half the cookie in white chocolate and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles. Another option is to pour the white chocolate into a ziplock sandwich bag. Seal, then snip the corner of the bag to turn it into a makeshift icing bag. Drizzle the cookies with icing and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles.

Place the cookies on a cooling rack or a new piece of parchment paper to allow the white chocolate to set before storing in an air-tight container. Cookies freeze exceptionally well. Just allow 20 minutes to thaw before serving,