Soft Molasses Cookies
These Soft Molasses Cookies are a holiday classic! They are soft, chewy, and full of cozy spices like ginger and cinnamon, making them the perfect Christmas treat.
For more holiday cookie recipes, be sure to check out my Cranberry Bliss Bar Cookies, Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies.
One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is eating all.the.cookies.
And having some delicious, easy cookie recipes up your sleeve for gift giving or holiday get-togethers is always a good idea. These Soft Molasses Cookies are perfectly spiced, super soft and chewy, and always a hit at Christmas time.
The smell of molasses cookies baking is one of those super nostalgic scents that takes me all the way back to my early childhood years. I used to spend a lot of time with my grandma when I was little, and she loved baking for pretty much everyone she knew at Christmas time.
Molasses cookies were one of her favorites and when I make them now, it brings back so many great memories of her. Because of that, these cookies will always hold an extra special place in my heart.
Ingredients for Soft Molasses Cookies
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
- molasses
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- ground ginger
- white granulated sugar
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies – Step by Step
Step 1: Prepare baking sheet
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger. Mix until combined.
Step 3: Mix wet ingredients
In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. Mix until nice and fluffy. Add in the eggs and molasses and mix well.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients
Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and continue mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix!
Step 5: Chill dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6: Roll dough in sugar
Using a medium size cookie scoop, roll dough into balls and then roll in the white sugar to coat. Place the coated cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.
Tips and Notes
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper. This will help prevent the cookies from burning on the bottom and make clean up a breeze.
- Use a cookie scoop to help scoop out the dough. When you use a cookie scoop, all the cookies will be the same size, so they will cook evenly.
- Don’t skip the chill time for the dough. If you don’t let the cookies chill, they will spread out too much, and your soft molasses cookies will be too thin and will lose the fluffy/soft texture we are going for.
How to Store the Cookie Dough
If you don’t want to bake all of your soft molasses cookies at once, you can keep the chilled dough in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
How to Freeze the Dough
Simply place the rolled and sugared soft molasses cookie dough balls into a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the fridge before baking as directed.
How to Freeze Soft Molasses Cookies
Freeze any leftover, fully cooled cookies in a freezer safe container or zipper freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before enjoying.
More Holiday Dessert Recipes You Might Enjoy!
- Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
- Christmas Candy Cookie Bark
- Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
Soft Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar , for rolling
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger. Mix until combined.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Mix until nice and fluffy. Add in the egg and molasses and mix well.
- Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and continue mixing until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a medium size cookie scoop, roll the dough into balls and then roll in the white sugar to coat. Place the coated cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.
Notes
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper. This will help prevent the cookies from burning on the bottom and make clean up a breeze.
- Use a cookie scoop to help scoop out the dough. When you use a cookie scoop, all the cookies will be the same size, so they will cook evenly.
- Don’t skip the chill time for the dough. If you don’t let the cookies chill, they will spread out too much, and your soft molasses cookies will be too thin and will lose the fluffy/soft texture we are going for.
- Storing the dough: If you don’t want to bake all of your soft molasses cookies at once, you can keep the chilled dough in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
- How to Freeze the Dough: Simply place the rolled and sugared cookie dough balls into a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the fridge before baking as directed.
- How to Freeze the Cookies: Freeze any leftover, fully cooled cookies in a freezer safe container or zipper freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before enjoying.
These cookies are sooo good! We all loved it!
Mmmm…. I am drooling over these cookies! Must make them!
Such a wonderful treat! My family would enjoy these very much!! Thanks for sharing!
These could be addicting! Look so yummy!
Those sound amazing! I’m a big fan of molasses, and I love soft, chewy cookies. I can’t wait to make these!
oh my gosh I love molasses cookies! Im gonna have to try out this recipe looks so good
This is really good for the holidays! Gotta try this soon!
I love how smells can instantly transport us back in time. These cookies sounds delish!
Ooo I would eat so many of these. They are perfect for the holidays!
I love soft cookies so these are right up my street, so yummy!