Molasses Spiced Crackle Cookies

1. BROWN THE BUTTER: Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds. Preheat oven to 375° F. In a small saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat (stirring constantly) until it foams and turns golden-brown (about 4 minutes). Pour it into a large heatproof bowl, scraping all of the brown bits from the pan.
2. MAKE THE WET BASE: Add the brown sugar, molasses and spices to the butter. Whisk hard for about two minutes until it’s smooth and the sugar is dissolved. It might look greasy at first, but keep whisking.
3. ADD EGGS AND DRY INGREDIENTS: Whisk in the egg and vanilla until the mixture is slightly lighter in color (about two minutes). Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir with a spatula until you get a soft dough and no dry flour is left.
4. SHAPE AND SUGAR THE DOUGH: Put the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon (medium) cookie scoop or your hands to form dough balls. Drop them directly into the bowl of granulated sugar. Swirl the bowl or use a spoon to coat evenly. Shake off any excess. Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges. Place 9 balls on each parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Roll each ball in the sugar again for a thicker coating. Freeze the dough balls on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
5. COAT WITH POWDERED SUGAR: Place the powdered sugar in a separate bowl. Working quickly, roll each chilled dough ball in the powdered sugar. Gently press to coat thoroughly like shaping a snowball. Don’t shake off the excess. Return the coated dough balls to the baking sheet. For best results, roll and bake immediately. If the dough sits too long, it will soak up the sugar and lose its crackled finish.
6. BAKE AND COOL: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through the cooking time. The cookies will puff up and crack on top. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to let cool completely. They’ll deflate slightly as they cool.
7. SERVE OR STORE: For best results, serve the same day they are made. If storing, place the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. Before serving, reapply a light dusting of powdered sugar. The original coating will absorb into the cookies over time

Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 260, Fat: 12 g (7 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 45 mg, Sodium: 115 mg, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 6 g.