With their perfectly crackled tops, chewy centers, and rich, spiced flavor, molasses cookies are a true American classic.
I adore the combination of deep, caramel-like sweetness and medley of aromatic spices. The result is a cookie that’s both nostalgic and irresistible.
Add a crispy sugar coating, and this old-fashioned cookie recipe is not to be missed!
Why You’ll Love These Molasses Cookies
Rich, Spiced Aroma: The combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg creates a warm, inviting aroma everyone will drool over.
Perfect Texture: These cookies strike the ideal balance between soft and chewy, with a slightly crisp edge, ensuring a delightful bite every time.
Deep, Robust Taste: Molasses imparts a robust and complex flavor that pairs beautifully with the warm spices and sugars.
Seasonal Versatility: While often associated with fall and winter, these molasses cookies are a crowd-pleaser year-round, making them suitable for any occasion or gathering.
Ingredients
- Unsulphured Molasses: Essential for authentic molasses cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cookie, providing structure and texture.
- Baking Soda: The leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and achieve a soft, chewy texture.
- Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg infuse the cookies with classic holiday flavors. Adjust ratios to your taste.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: To balance the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Unsalted Butter: Creamed with the sugars for a light, fluffy base.
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: They bring sweetness and moisture, plus the perfect crunchy edges. You’ll also need extra granulated sugar for that sparkling finish.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and contributes to the soft, chewy texture.
How to Make Molasses Cookies
There’s nothing quite like these cozy cookies baking on a chilly day.
And while they do need an hour or two to chill, the hands-on prep is minimal.
1. DRY: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
2. WET: Beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract.
3. COMBINE: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix by hand until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. PREHEAT: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. SHAPE: Scoop and roll the chilled dough into 1-1 1/2 tablespoon balls. Roll each ball in the remaining granulated sugar.
6. BAKE: Place the dough balls on the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set.
7. COOL: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Molasses Cookies
My one key step to achieving the ideal texture of these cookies is chilling the dough before baking.
This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin, so you get a delightfully soft and chewy center with slightly crisp edges.
Other than that, here are a few more tips to ensure success.
- Unsulphured molasses. For the best flavor, use unsulphured or dark molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses, as it is too intense for these cookies.
- Spice blend. Use a combination of warm spices, but feel free to play around with them.
- Butter temperature. Make sure the butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming with the sugar.
- Measure accurately. Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cup for precise measurement.
- Chill dough. 1-2 hours is more than enough. If you go over 2 hours, let the dough warm to room temp for 15 minutes before baking.
- Roll smoothly. Gently roll the dough into smooth balls between your hands before coating in sugar for even round cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop. This makes them evenly sized so they bake at the same time.
How to Store
These cookies always remind me of cozy winter evenings curled up by the fireplace with a good book.
And how the crisp, sugary exterior gives way to the most perfectly chewy center – it’s pure cookie magic.
Luckily, they store pretty well, so you can easily make extra!
To Make Ahead: Make the cookie dough, wrap it, and chill it for 2-3 days before baking as instructed. Alternatively, scoop and flash freeze the cookies, then store them in a freezer bag for 2-3 months. Bake from frozen with a few extra minutes in the oven.
To Store: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To Freeze: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
More Soft and Chewy Cookies You Have to Try
White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Molasses Cookies
24
servings15
minutes12
minutes131
kcalGet ready to fall in love with the warm, spicy goodness of molasses cookies. They’re soft, chewy, and perfect with your mid-morning coffee or tea.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until well blended.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Turn the mixer to low and blend in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract one by one until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix gently by hand until just combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the chilled cookie dough into 1-1 1/2 tablespoon portions and roll it into balls. Roll each ball in the remaining granulated sugar until fully coated on all sides.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use unsulphured or dark molasses for the best flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses as it’s too intense for these cookies.
- Do not skip the chilling step as it helps to control the spread of the cookies during baking.
- If you chilled them for longer than 2 hours, let the dough warm to room temp for 15 minutes before baking.
