Molasses Cookies
There’s something incredibly nostalgic about a warm molasses cookie. With their crackly sugar-coated tops, soft and chewy centers, and cozy blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these old-fashioned cookies instantly bring feelings of fall, holidays, and baking memories from Grandma’s kitchen. This molasses cookies recipe creates bakery-style cookies that stay soft for days and have the perfect balance of sweetness and warm spice.
Unlike crisp ginger snaps, these soft molasses cookies have a tender texture with slightly crisp edges and a rich flavor from dark molasses. They’re easy to make, require simple pantry ingredients, and fill your kitchen with the most incredible aroma while baking.
Whether you’re making Christmas cookie trays, planning holiday baking, or simply craving a comforting homemade cookie, these chewy molasses cookies deserve a permanent spot in your recipe collection.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy texture that stays fresh for days
- Rich molasses flavor without being overly sweet
- Perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves
- Beautiful crackled tops rolled in sugar
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Great for holiday cookie exchanges and gifting
- Freezer-friendly dough and baked cookies
What Are Molasses Cookies?
Molasses cookies are classic spiced cookies made with molasses, warm spices, butter, and brown sugar. They originated from old-fashioned American baking traditions and became especially popular during the holidays because spices like ginger and cinnamon pair beautifully with the deep caramel flavor of molasses.
Soft molasses cookies are often confused with gingerbread cookies or ginger snaps. Gingerbread is typically firmer and rolled out for cutting shapes, while ginger snaps are crisp and crunchy. Molasses cookies fall perfectly in the middle with soft centers and slightly crisp edges.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Provides structure while keeping the cookies tender.
- Baking Soda
Helps the cookies rise and creates those beautiful crinkled tops.
- Ground Ginger
The signature warm spice that gives molasses cookies their classic flavor.
Adds warmth and depth.
- Ground Cloves
A little goes a long way and creates that nostalgic holiday flavor.
- Salt
Balances sweetness and enhances all the spices.
Use softened butter for the best texture.
- Brown Sugar
Adds moisture and caramel flavor.
- Egg
Binds everything together.
- Molasses
Use regular unsulphured molasses for the best flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can taste bitter.
- Granulated Sugar
For rolling the cookie dough before baking.
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
- Step 1: Prepare the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Mix in the egg and molasses until fully combined.
- Step 4: Combine Everything
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Step 5: Chill the Dough
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling prevents excessive spreading and creates thicker cookies.
- Step 6: Roll and Coat
Roll dough into balls and coat generously in granulated sugar.
- Step 7: Bake
Bake until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
The cookies will continue baking as they cool, resulting in perfectly chewy centers.
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to the best molasses cookies comes down to the balance of moisture and spice. Brown sugar and molasses keep the cookies soft while chilling the dough helps create thick, chewy cookies with beautiful crackly tops.
Slightly underbaking the cookies is another key step. The centers should still appear soft when removed from the oven.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Molasses Cookies
- Use Regular Molasses
Avoid blackstrap molasses because it can make the cookies bitter.
- Chill the Dough
Cold dough prevents spreading and gives you thicker, bakery-style cookies.
- Don’t Overmix
Overmixing develops gluten and can make cookies tough.
- Roll Generously in Sugar
This creates the signature sparkling, crackled exterior.
- Slightly Underbake
The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when removed from the oven.
- Measure Flour Correctly
Too much flour creates dry cookies. Spoon and level flour instead of scooping directly from the bag.
- Make Them Extra Soft
Store cookies with a slice of bread in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Storage Instructions
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
The cookie dough can also be frozen. Roll into balls and freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.
Bake directly from frozen by adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Variations
White Chocolate Molasses Cookies
Fold white chocolate chips into the dough.
Orange Molasses Cookies
Add orange zest for a bright citrus flavor.
Espresso Molasses Cookies
Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to enhance the richness.
Molasses Sandwich Cookies
Spread cream cheese frosting between two cookies.
What to Serve with Molasses Cookies
- Hot coffee
- Chai tea
- Homemade hot chocolate
- Vanilla ice cream
- Eggnog during the holidays
- A warm pumpkin spice latte
Tips for Holiday Cookie Boxes
Molasses cookies are one of the best cookies for gifting because they stay soft for days. Pair them with sugar cookies, shortbread, chocolate crinkles, and peppermint treats for a beautiful homemade holiday cookie assortment.
Their warm spices make them especially popular during Thanksgiving and Christmas baking seasons.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
If you love these soft molasses cookies, be sure to try these reader favorites:
- Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
- Homemade Shortbread Cookies
- Shortbread Caramel Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cookie Dough
- Brown Butter Blondies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Homemade Sugar Cookies
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg and molasses and mix well.
- Stir in dry ingredients until combined.
- Chill dough for at least 1 hour.
- Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon portions.
- Roll into balls and coat in granulated sugar.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Nutritional Information (Per Cookie)
- Calories: 145
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 11g
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my molasses cookies crack on top?
Lack of surface cracking is usually caused by using expired baking soda (which fails to release carbon dioxide gas quickly) or placing raw dough onto hot baking sheets. Ensure your baking soda is fresh, and let your baking pans cool completely between batches.
How should I store homemade molasses cookies to keep them soft?
Store your completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep them exceptionally soft and bendy for up to a full week, place a single slice of white bread inside the container—the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread without altering their flavor!
Can I freeze molasses cookie dough?
Yes, absolutely! You can scoop the dough into balls, roll them in sugar, and freeze them on a baking tray until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F, adding an extra 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
What is the difference between molasses cookies and gingerbread cookies?
While both use similar warm spices and molasses, gingerbread cookies contain more flour and less fat so they can be rolled out thin and cut into crisp shapes (like gingerbread men). Molasses cookies contain more fat and moisture, yielding a soft, thick, and chewy drop cookie.
Can I substitute honey or maple syrup for the molasses?
We do not recommend swapping molasses for honey or maple syrup. Molasses provides a distinct deep, smoky acidity that reacts specifically with baking soda to create the unique rise, chew, dark color, and crinkled tops of this cookie.
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