Caramel Molasses Cookies with Salted Caramel Drizzle
Author: 
Serves: 20
 
Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 375g (or 3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 170g (or ¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 150g (or ¾ cup) dark brown sugar
  • 104g (or ⅓ cup) dark molasses
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 70g (or ⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon) granulated sugar, for rolling
For the caramel sauce:
  • 200g (or 1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 90g (or 6 tablespoons) salted butter, cut up into 6 pieces
  • 120ml (or ½ cup) whipping cream
Instructions
Start with the cookies:
  1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed. Add the brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Beat well on high, scraping down the sides as needed again. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients have absorbed the wet ingredients. Do not overmix. Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour in the fridge.
Meanwhile, make the caramel:
  1. Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. Very slowly, drizzle in ½ cup of heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils. Remove from heat and allow to cool down before using. Cover the caramel tightly and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds before using in a recipe.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (standard oven setting) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the granulated sugar into a bowl. Cut the dough into 20 equal chunks. Roll each chunk into a ball, then roll into the sugar. Place on the baking sheet, 5 cm or 2 inches apart. Bake for precisely 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press the top of the cookie down with the back of a fork. You're trying to obtain a crinkly top. Place back into the oven for 1 more minute. Cookies will be puffy and still appear very soft in the middle. That's okay. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for ten minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling with caramel sauce.
  3. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Molasses cookies without caramel may be frozen up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough may be frozen up to three months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
Recipe by The Tough Cookie at https://thetoughcookie.com/2013/12/06/caramel-molasses-cookies-with-a-salted-caramel-drizzle/