Molasses Spice Cookies with Dark Rum Glaze

MAKES 24 COOKIES Ingredients • ⅔ cup palm sugar, divided • 2¼ cups almond flour • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1½ teaspoons ground ginger • ½ teaspoon ground cloves • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice • ¼ teaspoon pepper • ¼ teaspoon salt • 5 tablespoons (75 ml) coconut oil, softened • 1 large egg yolk • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract • ½ cup light or blackstrap molasses Glaze • ½ cup honey • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) dark rum, or ½ teaspoon rum extract Preparation 1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread ⅓ cup palm sugar into a shallow dish for rolling. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, spices, pepper, and salt together. 2. In a separate large bowl, beat the coconut oil and remaining ⅓ cup palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until combined (about 30 seconds). Beat in the molasses until incorporated (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed. 3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). The dough will be soft. 4. Working with two tablespoons at a time, roll the dough into balls with wet hands, then coat with the palm sugar. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about three inches apart. 5. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and beginning to brown, and the centers are still soft and puffy (10 to 12 minutes), rotating each baking sheet halfway through baking. (The cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone.) 6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Making the Glaze In a bowl, whisk together the honey and dark rum until well combined. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cookies and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

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Molasses spice cookies with dark rum glaze take the soft, crackled classic and finish it with a honey-rum drizzle. The glaze settles into the cracks and adds a warm, grown-up sweetness. They look dramatic and take about thirty minutes of work.

Pro Tips

• Let the cookies cool completely before glazing. Warm cookies drink the glaze instead of holding it on top.
• Whisk the honey and dark rum until fully combined. A smooth glaze drizzles in ribbons rather than streaks.
• Rum extract works in place of the dark rum, but use only 1/2 teaspoon. It is far more concentrated than the spirit.
• Let the glaze set 10 to 15 minutes before serving so it firms slightly and does not smear when you plate the cookies.
• The cookies look raw between the cracks when they come out. That is the sign of a properly soft molasses cookie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the glaze make the cookies soggy?

Not if the cookies are cool and the glaze is thin. It sets into the cracks within 15 minutes and stays glossy for days.

Can I make these without rum?

Yes. Use 1/2 teaspoon of rum extract, or simply glaze with honey alone for a milder topping that still looks beautiful.

How far ahead can I make them?

Bake the cookies up to 3 days ahead and glaze the day you serve. They keep airtight at room temperature for 5 days either way.

Are these cookies paleo?

The dough is grain-free and dairy-free. The honey-rum glaze adds no refined sugar, and rum extract is a fine substitute if you prefer to skip the alcohol.

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