This recipe has been a holiday staple for my kitchen for years — the kind of cookie that fills the house with nostalgia and invites everyone to the counter. I first stumbled onto this combination during a December afternoon when I wanted a small, sturdy cookie that still felt special enough for gifting. The ginger, cinnamon, and cloves bloom while the outside sets into a slight crackle from the granulated sugar; pressing a Hershey's Hugs into the warm center creates a glossy chocolate cap that everyone fights over. It’s simple, forgiving, and reliably crowd-pleasing. What makes these biscuits so beloved in my house is their texture: the exterior develops a faint snap while the interior remains tender and slightly chewy. The use of unsulphured molasses brings a deep, complex sweetness and a brown sugar note that pairs beautifully with the aromatic spices. We make a double batch every year for cookie exchanges and still run out before the tree is down. The recipe measures in easy cups and spoons, so it’s perfect for baking with kids or for a last-minute dessert tray.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: 3 cups (about 12 3/4 ounces). Use a spoon-and-level technique when measuring for consistent results; King Arthur or Gold Medal are reliable brands for structure and flavor.
• Baking soda: 1 teaspoon. Freshness matters for lift — if your soda is older than six months, replace it for best puff.
• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon. Fine sea salt or regular table salt both work; it brightens the spices and balances the molasses.
• Ground ginger: 2 teaspoons. Use fresh ground ginger for a lively bite; ground ginger from a jar is fine but lose potency over time.
• Ground cinnamon: 1 1/2 teaspoons. Ceylon or standard cassia both work; cinnamon deepens the warm-sweet profile.
• Ground cloves & nutmeg: 1/2 teaspoon each. A little goes a long way — they round out the spice blend without overwhelming it.
• Unsalted butter: 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) at room temperature. Butter adds richness and helps create those slightly crisp edges.
• Large egg: 1 at room temperature. Eggs give structure and a bit of lift to the dough.
• Light brown sugar: 3/4 cup, packed. Provides moisture and caramel notes; swap for dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
• Unsulphured molasses: 1/2 cup. Unsulphured is less bitter and more nuanced; it’s the backbone of the cookie’s flavor.
• Granulated sugar to roll: 1/2 cup. Creates the signature sugared exterior that crackles slightly in the oven.
• Hershey's Hugs chocolates: 60 pieces. Wrap and press while cookies are warm so the chocolate adheres and partially melts.

Instructions

Preheat & prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to ensure even browning and easy removal. If you have more dough than fits on two sheets, rotate baking pans between racks halfway through baking. Combine dry spices: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly distributed. This step prevents pockets of spice or leavening and ensures a uniform rise and flavor in each biscuit. Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the room-temperature butter with the brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, then mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl to keep everything even. Mixing until smooth develops a bit of structure without overworking the dough. Add molasses: Pour in 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses and beat until uniform; the dough will look glossy and darker. Molasses brings acidity and tannins that deepen flavor—don't skip it or substitute with less or the texture will change. Fold in dry ingredients: Add the flour-spice mixture on low speed and mix just until combined. The dough will be relatively dry and slightly crumbly; that is normal. Avoid over-mixing to prevent tough cookies. If dough feels crumbly but holds when pressed, it's ready. Scoop & sugar-coat: Using a 1-inch cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon), portion dough into balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar until fully coated, then space them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. The sugar creates a pretty, crackled finish and a hint of crunch. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and the edges have set. They may appear slightly soft in the center — they will firm up as they cool. These biscuits do not spread much; if you want flatter cookies, press slightly before baking. Top with chocolate: While the cookies bake, unwrap the Hershey's Hugs. Immediately after removing a sheet from the oven, press one Hugs gently into the center of each warm cookie. The heat will soften the chocolate and create a glossy top. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.

Storage Tips

To keep the cookies at their best, cool them completely before storing. For short-term storage, use an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; layering the cookies with parchment will prevent sticking. If you prefer a softer texture, tuck a slice of bread into the container and replace it every day or two. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen cookies on a baking sheet at 325°F (160°C) for 5–7 minutes to revive the exterior before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you don’t have unsulphured molasses, substitute with dark molasses or 1/3 cup molasses plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, though flavor will shift slightly. Use margarine or vegan butter and a flax egg to make a plant-based version, but skip the Hershey's Hugs — use dairy-free chocolate disks instead. For a deeper, more intense cookie, swap light brown sugar for dark brown sugar 1:1. To reduce sweetness, trim the granulated sugar used for rolling to 1/4 cup, but keep in mind the sugar coating contributes to the signature texture and appearance.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are perfect with a cup of hot tea, coffee, or a mug of spiced cider. For a festive platter, arrange with sugared cranberries, candied orange peel, and a few mini marshmallows. They pair wonderfully with whipped cream or a dollop of mascarpone lightly sweetened with vanilla. For a party, present them on a tiered stand and garnish with a dusting of fine powdered sugar or a sprig of rosemary for a rustic touch.

Cultural Background

Ginger-flavored biscuits have roots in Northern European winter baking where preserved spices and molasses helped flavor cold-weather confections. The tradition of pressing a chocolate into a soft cookie merges American candy culture with European spice cookie techniques. Over decades these little confections have become a staple at holiday gatherings, bridging simple pantry baking with the joy of a chocolate-topped finish.

Seasonal Adaptations

In winter, add a pinch of orange zest to the dough for brightness and serve with mulled wine; in autumn, swap Hershey's Hugs for cinnamon caramel candies to echo pumpkin-spice flavors. For a summer cookie swap, reduce the molasses slightly and top with a thin chocolate disk filled with roasted hazelnut spread. The basic formula is flexible: swap or amplify spices to reflect seasonal produce and pairings.

Meal Prep Tips

Prepare dough a day ahead and keep it chilled in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld — chilled dough often yields a slightly thicker, chewier cookie. Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a sheet pan; once firm, transfer to a bag and bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time. This makes holiday entertaining effortless: bake only as many as you need and keep extras frozen for spontaneous guests.

These cookies are a dependable, cheerful treat that invites sharing and small rituals — unwrapping a chocolate, pressing it into warm dough, and passing a plate around the table. I hope you make them your own and let them become part of your seasonal traditions.