I’ll warn you up front: if you think it’s possible to have too many chocolate chips in a cookie, this isn’t the recipe for you. Ditto if you like your oatmeal cookies crunchy, or only vaguely spice-scented. Subtle flavor and smooth texture? Not so much.

However, if you want a dense, chewy, chocolate chip festival, full of rubbly mounds of oats and chips, keep reading. If you crave a cookie with plenty of cinnamon, allspice, and ginger, combined with the smoky sweetness of molasses: this is the one. And if you’d like to mollify your conscience just a wee bit by using whole wheat flour, well then, have I got a treat for you! :)

Double Chip Molasses Oatmeal Cookies
makes about 30 cookies

1/2 c. unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. turbinado or light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. unsulphured molasses
3/4 c. whole wheat or all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur White Whole Wheat here)
1 1/2 c. rolled oats (not quick cook)
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use 3/4 c. semisweet and 3/4 c. white)

Beat together butter, sugars, spices, salt, baking soda, and vanilla with electric mixer until smooth and evenly incorporated. Beat in egg, then molasses, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the flour until completely combined, then stir in oats. Add chips and stir again. Cover dough and refrigerate for an hour or two, until chilled and firm.

Oven 375F. Drop dough by tablespoonful on to parchment-lined or lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake ten minutes per batch, until cookies begin to brown and centers are completely set. Allow to cool on pans for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy warm and gooey, or cool completely and store in airtight container.

(Quick tip: if cookies begin to dry out, place a small slice of apple into the container with them until they are tender again.)

Recipe Notes:
If you’re doubling this recipe, you may find double the molasses a bit overpowering. Consider using three tablespoons of molasses and three tablespoons honey or golden syrup instead. If you like nuts, switch out 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips for a 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts.