Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies

Ginger molasses cookies are a timeless classic. Like a sugar cookie made with brown sugar and warm spices, these irresistible cookies never go out of style. My recipe yields the softest, chewiest and thickest ginger spice cookies you’ll ever taste. I love that these molasses cookies bake up perfectly thick and fluffy! Much too often you’re left with flat, crispy, and thin ginger cookies. If you prefer soft-baked molasses cookies, you’ve come to the right place. 🙂

This time of year, I bake up tons of treats for gift giving and enjoying through the holiday season. My Christmas cookie tins are always filled to the brim! These irresistible molasses cookies are always at the top of my baking list. You should totally add them to yours too!

Ingredients

This is a classic molasses cookie recipe. The ingredients are simple and easy to find. It’s the ratio of ingredients that make these cookies extra soft and chewy.

• Butter. adds flavor, structure, and buttery goodness in each bite. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature before beginning. See tips, below, for more info on softened butter.
• Sugar. dark brown sugar gives these cookies a rich flavor and amazing texture. You’ll also need granulated sugar for rolling the cookies.
• Molasses. unsulphured molasses is best for baked goods. I typically use Grandma’s Original Molasses. This is the key ingredient for that traditional deep, rich flavor in molasses cookies.
• Egg. 1 egg adds structure, stability, and flavor.
• Flour. all-purpose flour will give you the best results. I have not tried other flours for this cookie recipe.
• Baking soda. to help these gems bake up properly.
• Spices. we’re using a mix of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves & salt to give the cookies a warm, cozy flavor.

How to make this recipe

This recipe is super easy and you’ll be happy to know that you don’t even have to chill the dough! There’s enough flour in the cookie dough to create a cookie that won’t spread when baking.

1. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the molasses and egg and beat to combine.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
3. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.
4. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or cookie scoop to scoop out dough. Roll into balls and then roll the balls into granulated sugar.
5. Form dough balls into top-heavy balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
6. Bake for 11-12 minutes and until edges appear set. The centers may look slightly undercooked, but they will continue to cook even after they are removed from the oven.
7. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to continue to cool.
8. Enjoy! Serve while still warm or enjoy them after they’ve completely cooled. In my personal opinion, I love them even more after they’ve cooled. This is when the edges get a little crispy and the inside is super soft. Either way… yum!

Tips for recipe success

There are tons of tips and tricks for baking the perfect cookies, but follow the suggestions below and you’re sure to have the BEST molasses cookies of your life!

• When baking cookies, it’s always important to make sure butter is properly softened to room temperature. When you poke the butter with your finger, it should make an indent without sinking or sliding down into the butter. The butter should not be shiny or greasy and it should still be cool to the touch. Allow the butter to sit out on the counter for about 1-2 hours before beginning your recipe.
• For cookies to bake up properly, be sure to use fresh baking soda. Baking soda loses its potency over time. When you open the container write the date on the lid. After 6 months, buy a new container.
• Measure your flour correctly. If you have a food scale, that’s the easiest way to measure ingredients. If you don’t have any easy way to weigh your ingredients, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and without shaking the cup, use the straight side of the butter knife to level the flour across the measuring cup.
• As the recipe is written, these are large cookies. Feel free to make smaller cookies and get double the amount. You may need to decrease the cooking time a minute or two, though.
• The secret to making molasses cookies that are puffy and soft is the ratio of butter to leavener to flour to egg. And slightly under-baking the cookies also guarantees a softer cookie. Take them out of the oven after about 11-ish minutes (depending on your oven). This will keep the interior of the cookie soft and chewy.

HOW TO PACKAGE CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR GIFT GIVING

These festive molasses cookies are one of my favorite cookies to gift to friends. There’s nothing better than a homemade holiday present, and who doesn’t love freshly baked cookies?! Feel free to get creative as you want with the packaging to make your cookie gift extra special! Here’s some fun ideas:

• Holiday tins. Purchase Christmas or winter-themed tins at your local Walmart or Target, then line them with pretty tissue paper or a holiday napkin and pile in the cookies.
• Christmas plate. Choose a decorative holiday-themed plate, then arrange different types of cookies on the plate.
• Cellophane bags. Pack a variety of cookies in small clear bags, then tie them at the top with a festive bow.
• Mason jars. Stack your cookies in a glass jar, cover the lid with Christmas fabric or paper, seal the jar, then tie a ribbon around it.

Storage and freezing

• Freezing cookie dough. This cookie dough recipe freezes beautifully. I love having cookie dough already mixed up, so I can bake a special treat whenever the craving hits. Scoop out balls of cookie dough. Place the cookie dough in a freezer-safe baggie and freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Label your bag with the date, so you remember when the cookie dough went into the freezer.
• Thawing dough. When you’re ready to bake cookies, remove the dough balls from the freezer, set them on an ungreased baking sheet that is lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat and let them thaw. Once they are close to room temperature (after about 30 mins), bake as directed in the recipe.
• Bake from frozen. Baking from frozen will work just fine. The tops of your cookies may darken a bit more, but they will still be fabulous. Follow all of the cooking instructions, but add a minute or two onto the bake time.
• Make ahead cookie dough. If you are wanting to prep just several days ahead, you can keep cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezing baked cookies. Baked molasses cookies freeze very well. Store cookies in a freezer-safe container or baggie and freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
• Storing baked cookies. Baked cookies will keep in an airtight container or zip-top baggie for about 1 week, but I can’t imagine them lasting that long!

Beware, it’s really easy to eat about a dozen of these soft, chewy, warmly spiced molasses cookies before you even realize what you just did. You only live once, so indulge and enjoy!

If you try these chewy molasses cookies, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves them as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.