These gooey, aromatic, and tender ginger cookies are buttery and chewy. They melt in your mouth the second you bite into them. This is how to make soft ginger cookies or ginger molasses cookies.
Table of Content
Ginger is a flavoring that can be difficult to work into recipes; it’s not something that comes in a bottle like an extract. Fresh ginger is dried then ground like a powder and must be used as a spice. It has a wonderful pungent flavor and aroma. And there is a way to add this unique flavor to your baking. When combined with molasses, it gives the cookies a sweet, warm, and smoky flavor that's absolutely wonderful in fall or winter
Why make these cookies?
- If you love ginger, then this is one cookie you are going to make over and over again. So, double the batch and save leftovers in the freezer.
- Ginger, when combined with molasses, has a wonderfully soft texture. And when combined with brown sugar and butter, gives these cookies their chewiness.
- And all the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find or simple pantry staples such as molasses.
- Also, I am using an electric mixer ( hand mixer or stand mixer) but you can also use just a large bowl and whisk.
- This cookie with a nice ginger taste will keep at room temperature for up to a week and is perfect to add to your holiday cookie platter during Christmas
- In addition, the process is also very simple and straightforward:
- Prepare the cookie dough - 10 mins
- Chill cookie dough - 15 mins
- Bake cookies - 10 mins
Ingredients and substitutions
- All-purpose flour - The amount of flour in the recipe will determine how dense the cookies will be. So, make sure to measure the ingredients correctly.
- Sugar - I like to use white sugar for that wonderful crisp outside and molasses for that soft and chewy inside. But, you can also use a combination of white and brown sugar.
- Egg - We have just one egg so make it a large egg.
- Molasses - Use unsulphured molasses. I like to use dark molasses, light molasses just does not give it enough molasses flavor. Blackstrap molasses is a little bitter with a distinct robust flavor.
- Spices - Today, I am using 1 teaspoon ground ginger, just a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. You can also use teaspoon ground cloves.
How to make the best soft ginger cookies
- Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and ground ginger - and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine well over low speed but do not overmix.
Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our dough. So do not overmix. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Pro tip - The cookie dough can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month. - Preheat oven at 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4 and line cookie sheets or two baking trays with silicone or parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, or two tablespoons amount of cookie dough, make 1-inch balls.
Pro tip - You can also make the cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to a month in a freezer bag. - 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.
Pro tip - Larger cookies will take about 10 minutes and vise versa. - Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
Tips for success
- Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- Rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading
- And if the cookie dough is too soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough will prevent spreading
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- It is a good practice to place cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
More cookie recipes
- Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
- Ginger molasses cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- The Best Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- Ginger Shortbread with Molasses
- Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- See all holiday cookies or all cookie recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will these ginger cookies keep?
These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Do ginger cookies spread?
The cookie needs the right temperature for baking. So the cookie spreads just enough and the outside bakes to a crisp preventing any more spreading (hope that makes sense). Hence, finding the right oven temperature is essential. Therefore, please follow the directions that come with the recipe.
Can I substitute molasses in this ginger cookie recipe?
You can substitute 1 cup molasses with equal parts of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup. You can also use ¾ cup dark brown sugar for every 1 cup of molasses. Having said that, molasses has a distinct taste and flavor which you will not get from honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup. These will give you a similar texture but not the same taste
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Printable Recipe
Soft Ginger Cookies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 350°F/ 177°C / Gas Mark 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 200kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 20 cookies
Description
These gooey, aromatic, and tender ginger cookies are buttery and chewy. They melt in your mouth the second you bite into them. This is how to make soft ginger cookies or ginger molasses cookies
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- ¾ cup (170 g) Butter
- ¾ cup (65 g) White sugar
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup (120 ml) Molasses
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and ground ginger - and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine well over low speed but do not overmix. Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our dough. So do not overmix. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Pro tip - The cookie dough can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.
- Preheat oven at 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4 and line cookie sheets or two baking trays with silicone or parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, or two tablespoons amount of cookie dough, make 1-inch ballsPro tip - You can also make the cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to a month in a freezer bag.
- 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. Pro tip - Larger cookies will take about 10 minutes and vise versa.
- Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- Rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading
- If the cookie dough is too soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough will prevent spreading
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- It is a good practice to place cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
Bake Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Dough - You can freeze the dough for 3 months wrapped well in a ziplock bag. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
- Unbaked cookies - And, you can also freeze the baked cookies dough balls in freezer bags. They will stay for up to a month.
- Baked cookies - Alternatively, freeze the baked cookies between parchment papers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 200- kcalCarbohydrates: 26- gProtein: 4- gFat: 9- gSaturated Fat: 6- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0- gCholesterol: 35- mgSodium: 120- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 12- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Ritu jain
I request u togive me eggless recipes because I m a vegetarian,
Veena Azmanov
Ritu, not all my recipes are eggless, just a few. You can find my eggless recipes.