Molasses spice cookies with dark rum glaze take the classic crackled cookie and dress it up for a party. The same ginger-cloves-pepper dough bakes soft and crinkly, then a honey and dark rum glaze drizzles over the cooled tops. Twenty-four cookies that taste like a proper celebration.
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.В В 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.В В 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.В В Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). The dough will be soft.
4.В В 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.В В 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.В В 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.
Pro Tips
- Cool the cookies completely before glazing — warm cookies melt the honey glaze and it runs off instead of setting into a glossy shell.
- Use real dark rum if you can; rum extract gives the same aroma but a slightly artificial finish against the deep molasses.
- Whisk the glaze until completely smooth before drizzling — honey and rum separate quickly, and a streaky glaze never sets evenly.
- Let the glaze sit ten to fifteen minutes to firm up before stacking the cookies, or you'll be peeling them apart later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these without alcohol?
Yes — use half a teaspoon of rum extract or simply swap the rum for a teaspoon of vanilla in the glaze. The honey still gives that glossy finish.
How long does the glaze keep?
It stays glossy for days once set. Store the glazed cookies in a single layer or layered with parchment in an airtight tin.
Can I use the glaze on other cookies?
It's wonderful on ginger cookies, molasses snaps, or even plain almond cookies — the honey-rum combination flatters warm spices especially.
Why are my cookies flat?
Warm dough or too little chilling time. Molasses cookie dough should be cool and firm before it goes near the oven.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375°F.
- 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. В В 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. В В Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). The dough will be soft. 4. В В 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. В В 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. В В 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.
