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by Haley//November 1, 2018 (updated October 11, 2022)
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If you want a cookie that gives you all the cozy winter vibes, then I have a recipe for you. Warm baking spices and molasses create a flavorful ginger molasses cookie perfect for Christmas and snowy days!
Cookie season is here and these chewy molasses cookies are a must for the holiday season. I am a fan of pretty much all cookies, but every now and then I bake a cookie that is especially hard to resist. These cookies are one of them. They are chewy and crinkly at the same time, plus they have all the good baking spices.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
The molasses and brown sugar create the most perfect chewy consistency while cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg bring in the winter spice flavor. Talk about a killer combo!
Ingredient notes
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted is best when baking (make sure it’s room temperature).
- White and brown sugar: A mix of sugars gives great flavor and improves the texture of these cookies.
- Molasses: Grabbing a bottle of this sweetener (if you don’t normally use it) gives these cookies their deep taste.
- Spices: Mix up some cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves here. The combo is what adds depth rather than using a single flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Take the extra step of rolling the dough in sugar before baking. This gives the baked cookies a sweet crunchy bite.
Recipe variations
If you prefer to use fresh ginger in your cookies, you totally can use it! I recommend grating the ginger on a fine grate for best results. Start with 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger and adjust according to your preferred taste.
Another way to personalize these cookies is adding a simple glaze on top. Is suggest the maple glaze I use on my gingerbread scones. Whisk together 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk if needed for thinner consistency. Drizzle glaze over cookies and serve.
I also love to use these cookies to make ice cream sandwiches with eggnog ice cream. It’s such a lovely flavor combo!
Add some mix-ins, such as 1 cup chopped nuts or white chocolate chips. I also think raisins would taste amazing (I use them in hermit cookies, which have a similar flavor profile).
How to make ginger molasses cookies
- Whisk together dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
- Beat together wet ingredients—butter and sugars, then egg, vanilla and molasses.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Shape dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar.
- Bake cookies at 350° F for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set.
Expert tips
The key to a crinkly top cookie is using enough sugar in the dough and then rolling the cookie dough balls in sugar before baking. They will glisten and shimmer making them super appealing on the cookie platter.
If you want thicker cookies, chill the cookie dough before rolling into balls and baking. About an hour of chilling should do the trick! You can also chill the dough for up to 48 hours for easy holiday prep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which molasses is best for cookies?
Light molasses (unsulphured) works best to keep cookies soft. I prefer Grandma’s Original Molasses for these cookies.
How to soften molasses cookies:
Place a small apple slice in an airtight container with the cookies. In a couple hours they should be soft again!
Can you freeze the cookie dough?
Yes. Store the dough in an airtight container or wrap securely with plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before baking.
Why are my molasses cookies hard?
Too much flour is usually the answer. I use a kitchen scale to weigh my flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff up your flour with a fork then spoon it into a measuring cup (never pack down flour). Another culprit is over-baking. The edges of the cookies should be set, but the center soft (only about 8 minutes of baking!)
Related recipes
Molasses is a unique flavor that lends itself well to baking. Here are more ways to use up your jar!
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
Total Time: 18 minutes mins
Chewy ginger molasses cookies are made with baking spices and molasses to create a flavorful cookie perfect for Christmas and the winter season!
4.92 (12 ratings)
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Equipment
1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, (light or dark)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup light unsulphured molasses
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, vanilla and molasses, and beat until the dough turns a light brown color, about 2 more minutes.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the dough and mix together until just combined.
In separate a small bowl, mix together your cinnamon and sugar topping. Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll your dough ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place cookie dough on prepared sheet and space about 2 inches apart.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cookies are crinkly and the edges are set. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Store cookie dough in an airtight container the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months. Let dough defrost in the refrigerator before baking.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 125kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 100mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 128IU, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Haley D Williams
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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15 comments //Leave a Comment or Review »
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Jackie —Reply
These cookies are great who needs a holiday for them.yumm!
Anita —Reply
I love these cookies. They are great for my afternoon coffee break. 🙂
Andrea Metlika —Reply
These are the best looking Molasses cookies I’ve ever seen. I think I might get my family to like them as much as me with this recipe.
LINDSEY PINE —Reply
These are my favorite type of cookie. I just love of all of those pungent sweet spices!
Jessica Formicola —Reply
This is my family’s favorite cookie recipe! We make them all the time!
Toni —Reply
These were so good! My kids can;t get enough of them!
Ana —Reply
Could I mix it by hand? I usually do chocolate chip cookies mixing by hand and don’t really have any kind of mixer right now, would it work out? TY, the recipe sounds delicious and I’ll be trying it soon (hopefully).
Haley —
Hi Ana! Yes, you can mix by hand if you need to. Make sure to mix the butter and sugars thoroughly (it will take some arm work!)
Laura Johnson —Reply
These are the best cookies – easy AND yummy! Definitely will be adding them to my Christmas cookie list. Who am I kidding? I could eat them any time of year!
Kathryn —Reply
We love these – so delicious!
lori —Reply
Made this recipe over the weekend and so happy with the results. Very easy recipe and very tasty cookie.
Kay —Reply
I love molasses cookies! Thank you for a great recipe! My question is that my cookies tastes great but dont have those pretty cracks like yours and didn’t flattened out either..please tell me what I did wrong!
Letitia Selk —
Great taste. I got them flat by minimally refrigerating the dough – which is very hard to roll into balls when I don’t chill. I am not able to get the beautiful cracks though. I’ll keep trying and will give 5 stars if I can figure these two things out.
Kristine —Reply
These were a big hit. Question for making ahead: should I freeze the dough before rolling the balls in cinnamon sugar or freeze after the balls have been rolled in the coating?
Haley —
Hi Kristine – If you freeze the balls of dough, wait until right before baking to add the sugar. The dough tends to absorb the sugar granules if not baked right away.
