The Best Molasses Cookies
These molasses cookies are buttery, chewy, and soft on the inside but crisp on the outside. Flavored with ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these also make amazing holiday gifts for family and friends.
The jar of molasses is the one ingredient that begs to come out from the back of the closet as soon as fall sets. Isn’t it? It is the perfect cookie to make during this season. I love giving these cookies as gifts during the holidays because they smell so wonderful.
Why make these cookies
- These classic molasses cookies have a wonderful taste. They are soft and have a chewy texture and a wonderful flavor of molasses and warm spices.
- I use an electric mixer (stand mixer), but you can also use a large bowl and whisk.
- And most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find, such as molasses.
- Also, they can be made in just about 30 minutes from start to finish because we do not need any chilling time between the cookie dough and baking.
- This is the kids’ favorite cookie, so make sure to double the batch or save some in freezer bags. The unbaked cookie dough balls will keep frozen for up to a month, and the baked cookies will keep frozen for up to a month.
- Additionally, they make perfect Christmas gifts to give to family and friends during the holiday season. Once baked and cooled completely, transfer them to a holiday gift jar or container and tie a pretty bow.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Molasses – This is a syrup consistency and can be found in most supermarkets in the baking aisle.
- Sugar – The combination of white and brown gives us that soft on the inside and crisp on the outside cookie. If you want them to be softer, use dark brown and less white sugar.
- Egg – I use just one egg yolk to prevent these cookies from spreading too much.
- Spices – Today, I am using ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. And yet, you can use a pumpkin spice mix or gingerbread spice mix. They both go well with molasses.
- Optional ingredients – You can add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, and others.
Step-by-step: Ginger molasses cookies
- Dry ingredients – In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and ground ginger – set aside.
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract.
- Dry to wet -Add the flour mixture. Combine well, but do not overmix.
- Chill – Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours
Pro tip – The cookie dough can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.
- Oven – Preheat oven to 275°F/190°C/ Gas Mark 5
- Balls – Use a cookie scoop or two tablespoons to remove golf-size balls. Roll them into a ball, then coat them with sanding or super-fine sugar.
- Bake – Place on the baking tray, leaving space for them to spread. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until the top is cracked.
- Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
Pro tip – These cookies will stay good for up to 2 weeks.
More holiday cookies
- Classic chocolate chip cookies or Everyday chocolate chip cookies
- Christmas Spritz Cookies or Christmas Star Cookies
- Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies or Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Classic Gingerbread cake or Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Spiced Gingerbread Loaf Cake
- The Best Molasses Cookies and Ginger molasses cookies
- Shortbread with Molasses
- See all holiday cookies or all cookie recipes
Frequently asked questions
These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These will spread a bit, but should not spread too much.
There are a few reasons why cookies spread. Too much butter or too much sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading.
Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much. That is why you must follow the recipe correctly.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot, baking pan. And make sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cooking too much as well.
Yes, you need to chill these cookies for at least 2 hours, or they will spread too much. If you do not want to chill the cookies, I suggest you use my recipe for old-fashioned soft molasses cookies, as they do not need to be chilled.
These recipes, such as dough and cookies, have a good shelf life. If wrapped well, the dough can stay in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before baking.
The BEST Molasses Cookie
These molasses cookies are buttery, chewy, and soft on the inside but crisp on the outside. Flavored with ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these also make amazing holiday gifts for family and friends.
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) Butter
- ⅓ cup (65 g) White sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) Dark Brown sugar
- 1 large Egg yolk
- ½ cup (120 ml) Molasses
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Allspice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100 g) Fine granulated sugar for coating (or sanding sugar)
Method
- Dry ingredients – In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and ground ginger – set aside.2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Ground ginger, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Allspice, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Then, add the egg yolk and vanilla extract.3/4 cup Butter, 1/3 cup White sugar, 1/2 cup Dark Brown sugar, 1 large Egg yolk, 1/2 cup Molasses, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Dry to wet -Add the flour mixture. Combine well, but do not overmix.
- Chill – Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Oven – Preheat oven to 275°F/190°C/ Gas Mark 5
- Balls – Use a cookie scoop or two tablespoons to remove golf-size balls. Roll into a ball, then coat in the sanding or superfine sugar.1/2 cup Fine granulated sugar
- Bake – Place on the baking tray, making sure to leave space for them to spread. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 to 9 minutes until the top is cracked.
- Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing in a cookie jar.
Veena, You have a mistake in the notes, you said these would last for 2 Weeks, no way, they are all gone after 2 days, ?❤
I hear yah!! Thanks for the lovely feedback, Happy holidays to you.
OMG if I had that many types of cookies in my house each week…I literally think hubby would eat NOTHING else. He has HUGE sweet tooth. My mom had a very similar recipe….and every time I make them, I remember her making these. Love all the wonderful spices….perfect for fall and the upcoming holiday season.
Yeah I know what you mean. My Aadi is a big cookie monster too. I grew up with lots of cookies jars and cakes around me Gloria. Mom would take orders so they were always in huge quantities and variety!
I’m trying to make this right now. I’m not understanding how no other comments take note that in the ingredients list it calls for baking soda, but in the instructions it says baking powder. Which is it? I don’t want to ruin a whole batch of cookies to find out I used the wrong one.
Sorry, Ken. Just a type error. It is baking soda
I don’t have a Molasses cookie recipe and this one would be ideal. I like the spices you use in the sweet treat. The outside reminds me of a dark snickerdoodle. I will be so glad when we move closer to our kids and grandkids — I enjoy making cookies and I’ll be able to spoil them. This will definitely be on the list.
You will love this one Marisa. It’s just perfect. I love spices in cakes and cookies. I’m sure the grand kids will love these.
I make these for my kids quite often .. They absolutely love it
what a lovely recipe .. a must try
Thankyou for sharing such lovely recipes
I tried this recipe yesterday!! Loved it! Thank you so much! Now I have another one of your recipes bookmarked. Appreciate it so much.
Thank you ! So glad you liked them.
Amazing!
Thank you !