This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These ginger molasses cookies are a must-make for the holidays. They’re crisp around the edges and perfectly soft and chewy in the middle. They’re absolutely irresistible!
Molasses cookies always bring back a cozy, nostalgic feeling for me — like the ones my grandma used to bake during the holidays, filling the kitchen with warm, spiced aromas. These cookies are soft, chewy, and full of rich molasses flavor, with just the right touch of spice. If you love recipes that feel like a warm hug, these cookies are it!
I’m a huge fan of cookies that have a touch of spice, like my gingersnap cookies and oatmeal pumpkin cookies. They’re perfect for the holidays, but honestly, I could eat them year-round! These molasses cookies have that same comforting vibe, but with a deep, molasses flavor that’s hard to resist.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy – The combination of molasses and brown sugar makes these cookies perfectly soft and chewy in the center.
- Simple ingredients – You probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry, so whipping these up is super easy.
- Perfect for sharing – Whether it’s a holiday gathering or a cozy treat for friends and family, these cookies are always a hit. They’re the kind of treat that disappears quickly!
Ingredients Needed
- flour – you can use all-purpose or white whole wheat flour for these cookies. Both work great, but white whole wheat adds a bit more fiber while keeping the texture soft.
- spices – ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are key to giving these cookies their warm, spiced flavor.
- butter – unsalted and softened for easy mixing and a rich, buttery base.
- sugars – we’re using both light brown sugar for chewiness and granulated sugar for sweetness. Plus, you’ll roll the dough balls in extra granulated or cane sugar for that crunchy, sparkly coating.
- molasses – dark molasses gives these cookies their deep, rich flavor. Make sure you’re using unsulphured or dark molasses for the best results!
- egg – just one egg, at room temperature, helps bind everything together and adds to the softness of the cookies.
- vanilla extract – a little vanilla adds a subtle, sweet undertone that complements the spices perfectly.
Substitutions
- Butter – For a dairy-free option, you could try using vegan butter or coconut oil. I haven’t tested these substitutions myself, but they should work as long as you use a solid form. You need a fat that stays firm at room temperature to help the cookies hold their shape and get that perfect texture.
- Molasses – Dark molasses is the go-to for rich, deep flavor, but if you only have light molasses, it’ll work too, though the flavor will be milder. I’d avoid blackstrap molasses unless you want a much stronger, almost bitter flavor. If you do use blackstrap, go easy on the amount to keep the sweetness in balance!
How to Make Molasses Cookies
Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla until combined.
Step 4: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Chill dough for 1 hour
Step 5: Using hands, roll dough into 3/4-1 inch balls. Place sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball of dough in the sugar to coat.
Step 6: Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until dark golden brown and puffy, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
Brittany’s Tip!
Rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking adds that beautiful sparkle and a slight crunch when you bite into them. Granulated sugar works perfectly, but you can also try coarse sugar for an extra-crispy coating.
Storing Molasses Cookies
- Room temperature: To keep your molasses cookies soft and delicious, store them in an airtight container on the counter. They’ll stay fresh and chewy for up to a week! Here’s a little trick: throw a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. It works like magic, keeping your cookies moist by letting them absorb some of the bread’s moisture.
- Freezer: Want to make a batch ahead of time or save some for later? No problem! Freeze them by laying the cookies out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll last for up to 3 months, and when you’re ready for a treat, just let them thaw at room temperature or zap them in the microwave for a few seconds to get that fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Frequently Asked Questions
This can happen if your dough is too warm or if you didn’t chill it long enough. Be sure to chill the dough for at least an hour to help the cookies hold their shape while baking. Also, make sure your butter wasn’t too soft when you started.
Definitely! You can roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to bake, just pop them in the oven directly from the freezer, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
Don’t worry—this is totally normal and a sign of a well-baked molasses cookie! The cracks form as the cookies puff up and expand in the oven, creating that classic, crinkly texture on top.
Unsulphured molasses is made from mature sugarcane and doesn’t have any preservatives added, which means it has a richer, more natural flavor. Sulphured molasses, on the other hand, is made from younger sugarcane and is treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve it. This process can give sulphured molasses a slightly chemical or bitter taste. For baking, unsulphured molasses is generally preferred because of its smoother, more natural sweetness. Most recipes, including this one, call for unsulphured molasses for the best flavor!
More Holiday Cookies
- Healthy Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
- Gingerbread Cookies
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour, 260 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 egg, at room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated or cane sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated.
- Chill dough for 1 hour
- Using hands, roll dough into 3/4-1 inch balls. Place sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball of dough in the sugar to coat. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until dark golden brown and puffy, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Remove from oven and let them cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Brittany, I really like your Samoa cookies but want more of a crunch on the bottom. I was wondering if you had any ideas to give them that crunch on the bottom, like the Girl Scout ones do? I did see where you use an apple but was looking for something more cookie like.
thanks, Beth H.
Hi Beth – If you’re looking for that cookie crunch similar to the actual girl scout cookies you’d probably want a shortbread cookie crust. I haven’t tested this, so I don’t have a recipe to share with you, but you’ll have to let me know if you end up trying it and how the cookies turn out. 🙂
hi, just trying these. wondering if leaving them bake longer or shorter will it be soft or hard? hubby is about to try! ty for recipe!
Hi Diane – Baking them for less time will result in softer cookies. More time will result in harder/crunchier cookies. I hope you enjoy them!! Definitely come back and let me know.
Loved these! Didn’t last long in the house though.
Oh yay!! So glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!