There’s something about soft and chewy molasses cookies that just feels like fall and winter. With their crinkly tops, chewy centers, and that irresistible blend of sweet and spice, they capture the cozy spirit of cooler weather in every bite. Roll them in sugar for a little sparkle, pair them with your morning coffee, or add them to your holiday cookie trays. They’re a treat that fits right in with all the best parts of the season.
We love baking easy cookies at home! If you’re looking for more cookie recipes to add to your rotation, try these Coconut Macaroons, they’re light and fluffy with a chocolate drizzle. Or Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies, made with seasonal ingredients.
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Have you ever baked with molasses? If not, don’t worry – it’s not complicated! This brown, sticky syrup amps up the flavor in things like cookies and cakes. And when you make these old-fashioned cookies, you’ll become just as obsessed about them as I am!
Sure, there’s time and place for cookies with tons of toppings and mix-ins. But today, it’s all about nostalgia and simplicity. These molasses cookies taste like you’re back in grandma’s kitchen, with the aromas of cinnamon and sugar hanging in the air.
They’re hands-down my favorite thing to add to Christmas cookie trays, set out for Santa, and to share at holiday parties. They have a comforting bit of spice that makes them irresistible.
What are Molasses Cookies?
Molasses cookies are the softer, chewier cousins of gingersnaps. Instead of that familiar crunch, they have a tender bite, almost like a sugar cookie but with a little more depth of flavor.
The secret lies in their sweetener: a mix of brown sugar and molasses. But what exactly is molasses? It’s the thick, rich syrup that’s left behind after sugarcane is processed into granulated sugar. Unlike sugar, it isn’t purely sweet, it carries earthy, slightly bitter notes that add incredible character.
That complexity is exactly what makes molasses cookies so irresistible. The syrup deepens the color, enhances the warm spices, and gives the cookies a flavor that feels cozy and unmistakably tied to fall and winter. It’s like baking the seasons right into a cookie, which is why they’ve become one of my personal favorites.
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour: Use your favorite kind of all-purpose flour.
- Cinnamon: This makes them taste like every holiday dessert you love. .
- Ground Ginger: A little bit gives it a lot of kick!
- Baking Soda: A bit of this helps the cookies rise so they aren’t flat discs.
- Salt: Naturally enhances all of the flavors.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and let it soften before adding it to the cookie dough.
- Brown Sugar: For a richer flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- Egg: This is the emulsifier that helps everything stick together.
- Molasses: The iconic ingredient. Use dark molasses.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives the cookies a little sparkle on the outside.
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
Here are the basic instructions to make easy soft molasses cookies.Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post with full ingredients and instructions to make it.
Cooking Tips and Tricks
- For the perfect texture, pull the cookies out of the oven while the centers are still soft and a little puffy. Then, let them set at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. This will give them the crinkly outside and soft, chewy centers.
- Use a cookie scoop to make sure every cookie is the same size. This will help them bake evenly.
- This is a very sticky dough, so use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on your cookie sheet.
Recipe Variations
- Enhance the warm flavors by adding a pinch of ground cloves to the cookie dough.
- Give them even more oomph by using some freshly grated ginger. It doesn’t much!
- Roll the cookies in sparkling sugar with large crystals if you want them to stand out and look extra fancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of molasses should I use? Don’t use blackstrap, it’s so intense that it will overpower the other ingredients. It’s best to use dark molasses because it will give the cookies an attractive color and deeper flavor.
Why are my cookies too crunchy? The best thing about these cookies is the soft and chewy center, so I get the frustration if they’re too hard. Don’t skip chilling the dough. If it isn’t cold enough, it can crisp too much in the oven. If your oven is too hot, it could bake too fast, too. If you think your oven gets too hot, remove the cookies a few minutes sooner.
How to Store & Reheat
How to store them? Store your baked cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. If you seal them well, they will stay soft and chewy for about five days.
How to refrigerate cookies? They will stay fresh longer if you keep them in the fridge, but they will have a better texture if you keep them at room temperature. To chill them in the refrigerator, put them in an airtight container and eat them within two weeks.
How to freeze them? You can freeze either the baked cookies or the cookie dough. Freeze the baked cookies by wrapping each one in plastic wrap and putting them in a freezer bag. Or freeze the cookie dough by rolling it into individual balls and placing them on a baking tray. Once they are all frozen, put them in a freezer bag. Then, you just need to grab as many frozen cookie dough balls as you want and bake them. To bake from frozen, add 2 minutes to the baking time.
Try these other sweet recipes!
- Cranberry Lemon Bars
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pistachio Pudding Cookies
If you’ve tried this soft molasses cookie recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes.
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Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 2 sticks
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and the brown sugar, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the molasses, beat until it’s combined. Then beat in the egg.
- Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, beating between each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Cover the bowl with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. If it stays in the fridge for longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before scooping.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Roll each cookie in granulated sugar. Place each cookie about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to make sure every cookie is the same size. This will help them bake evenly.
- This is a very sticky dough, so use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on your cookie sheet.
- Store your baked cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. If you seal them well, they will stay soft and chewy for about five days.
- Makes 56-58 cookies.
Nutrition
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