I will never say no to a simple sugar cookie, but adding brown sugar makes for an interesting twist on classic white sugar cookies.
A teaspoon of molasses increases the dark brown sugar flavor without making it taste like holiday fare (but, to be sure, these are a great addition to your holiday cookie tray).
A few tips for making Brown Sugar Cookies:
- Don’t skip the egg yolk! It helps make the center fudgy and rich.
- The cookies will puff in the oven and then collapse as they cool, forming cracks across the top.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for the time called for — this helps them set and will ensure the perfect texture upon first bite.
Brown Sugar Cookies
Yield:
20 cookies
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
11 minutes
Additional Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
26 minutes
A brown sugar version of sugar cookies, with a touch of molasses. Rich in flavor, with crisp edges, an almost fudgy center, and beautiful crackles running across the top
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon [364 g] all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup [2 sticks | 227 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cup [350 g] dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup [100 g] granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F [180C]. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and the molasses and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Place the granulated sugar in a medium bowl.
- Form the cookies into 1 1/2 oz [45 g] balls (2 tablespoons). Roll each ball in the sugar and place 8 cookies on a sheet pan.
- Bake one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the sides are set and the bottoms are light golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes.
- Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the pan, then remove them and let them cool completely on the wire rack. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
This recipe is from my cookbook, 100 Cookies.
4 Comments
Giftbasketworldwide
Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 12:30 amVery inspiring post. Thanks for sharing.
agreso
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 7:19 pmMade these yesterday…fantastic! Soft and chewy, and sweet – with just the right amount of salt for balance. Sometimes you want a simple, straightforward cookie without all the competing flavors and textures, and this one nails it. Thanks for a really nice recipe.
Ana
Saturday, January 2, 2021 at 4:13 pmDelicious cookies and I love how quickly this recipe came together!
Liz
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 7:07 pmMade these yesterday…fantastic! Soft and chewy, and sweet – with just the right amount of salt for balance. Sometimes you want a simple, straightforward cookie without all the competing flavors and textures, and this one nails it. Thanks for a really nice recipe.