These homemade Ginger Molasses Cookies are exceptionally delicious and are a holiday favorite! This recipe is easy to make and yields irresistible, perfectly spiced soft, chewy ginger molasses cookies with the classic crackly tops that you know and love! A staple recipe that everyone needs to have! Love cookies? Make sure to try my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cranberry Orange Cookies!
Ginger Molasses Cookies
If there was one holiday cookie we make every single year, it would have to be these molasses cookies. We mix up the dough, roll it into balls, and roll those balls in sugar before baking. Then once the cookies came out, we can hardly wait long enough for them to cool before eating them! Sugar cookies are another annual recipe that we make – but, as you know, we make those all the time!
While my gingerbread cookies are pretty amazing (if I say so myself!), they don’t transport me back to my childhood in the same way that these ginger molasses cookies do. Those cookies are for cutting into cute shapes and decorating.
These ginger molasses cookies on the other hand – they’re for savoring every single bite. They’re a perfect holiday treat, but they’re so delicious you’ll want to make them all year round!
This yummy recipe has all of the ingredients for a perfect holiday cookie… ginger, cinnamon, sugar and of course butter! 😊
Bonus- some molasses cookie recipes require you to chill the dough in the refrigerator, but this one does NOT! That means that not only are they unbelievably delicious, but they’re also quick to make.
Ready to make some cookies? Let’s get started…
Ingredients for Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Grab these ingredients so you’re ready to go:
- Butter: Softened to room temperature (not melted) so that it creams with the sugars properly.
- Sugars: Using both granulated (white) sugar, and brown sugar give these cookies a very nice flavor. Don’t forget the extra sugar for rolling the cookies!
- Molasses: both sweetens and adds delicious caramel flavor to these cookies.
- Eggs and baking soda: Two soft and chewy cookie staples. Plus, the eggs help bind everything together.
- All Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose flour as the base of this recipe.
- Spices: We will use a mixture of ground ginger, cloves, and cinnamon in a carefully tested blend for ultimate (but not overpowering) flavor. You can totally tinker around with the spice proportions if you want to change the flavor a little to your preferences.
- Salt and vanilla extract: Flavor enhancers.
For these cookies I used Challenge Unsalted Butter, as I do in most all of my baking. Using good quality butter in your baking really makes a difference. Challenge Butter uses Real California Milk and it’s no wonder they know how to make delicious butter… they’ve been making it for over 100 years!
How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt.
- Beat butter, then add both sugars and mix until well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and egg and blend until combined.
- Add molasses and blend until combined.
- Slowly add flour mixture, while mixing on low. Blend until just combined.
- Scoop cookie dough using a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop. Roll into balls with your hands. Roll the balls of dough into a small bowl of sugar, then place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls slightly.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they are slightly puffy and cracked. They will deflate a bit as they cool. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a minute or so, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Variation Ideas for Ginger Molasses Cookies
Want to add a little variety to your ginger cookies? Try these ideas.
- Change the spice ratios: Add extra ginger for a little more zing, or some extra cinnamon for a little more warmth. If you really want to take it up, try adding some chopped crystallized ginger to these cookies for more flavor and a touch of crunch.
- Glaze your cookies: A light glaze is divine on these cookies.
- Add frosting: Want to take them over the top? Top these chewy ginger molasses cookies with cream cheese frosting.
- Add chocolate: Feel free to dress up these delicious cookies by dipping half of the cookie in white chocolate, or adding some white chocolate chips.
Ginger Molasses Cookies FAQs
Got questions about making these cookies? Here are a few answers that might help.
Can I Freeze These Cookies?
Yes! In fact, they freeze really well. And you have the option of freezing the prepared cookie dough balls or the baked cookies. Here’s how:
- To freeze the dough: Prepare as directed. Scoop into balls and place on a baking sheet. Freeze for until hardened (about 30 minutes). Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough balls thaw on a baking sheet on the counter while the oven heats up. Bake as directed.
- Freezing baked cookies: Bake plain baked cookies (no frosting, icing, or any other decorations) and let them cool completely. Place cooled cookies in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours when you’re ready to enjoy them.
How Long Will These Cookies Last?
These chewy ginger molasses cookies stay soft and fresh for several days when stored in an airtight container, but they never last too long in our house!
I hope you love these molasses cookies as much as we do! Enjoy!
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
We have a bunch of delicious Christmas cookies that pair perfectly with these soft molasses cookies:
- Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Bites
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Spritz Snowflake Cookies
How to Make Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar for rolling cookies in
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the butter until smooth, then add both sugars and beat until well combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla and continue to blend.
- Add molasses and blend until combined.
- Slowly add flour mixture, while mixing on low. Blend until just combined.
- Scoop batter using a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop, and roll into balls in your hands. Roll balls of dough into a small bowl of sugar, then place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten cookie balls slightly.
- Bake cookies in a pre-heated 350*F oven for 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they are slightly puffy and cracked. They will deflate a bit as they cool. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a minute or so, then move to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published December 15. 2013.
Disclosure – I created this recipe as part of an ongoing partnership with Challenge Dairy. Partnering with brands I love allows me to provide you high quality content at no cost to you. I only work with brands I use and love. All images, text and opinions are my own.
HOLA FELIZ NAVIDAD!
SOY SONIA DE ESPAÑA. TE SIGO DESDE HACE TIEMPO Y ME ENCANTAN TUSCRECETAS LO QUE SUCEDE ES QUE TENGO DIFICULTAD PARA SABER EXACTAMENTE LAS CANTIDADES DE LOS INGREDIENTES PUES AQUÍ EN MI PAIS ( ESPAÑA) LAS MEDIDAS SON EN GRAMOS Y NO EN TAZAS NI EN ONZAS POR ESO SI NO ES MUCHO PEDIR TE AGRADECERÍA SI ES POSIBLE PUSIERAS LAS CANTIDADES EN GRAMOS PARA ENTENDERLO MEJOR.
MUCHAS GRACIAS POR TU COMPRENSION.
I made these yesterday/last night, and I have only this to say, Incredibly Awesome!! These are beyond words they are so good. Followed the recipe, almost exact. The only thing I did, I omitted the salt, as I used salted butter because I didn’t have unsalted. My husband doesn’t even like Ginger Cookies, Ginger Snaps, nothing like that, and yet, he loved these. He ate a lot of them. These are soft and chewy. I did get a lot more than 24 cookies. I use a small ice cream scoop and I got almost 100 — 3-inch cookies. I have no reason to search for any other Soft Ginger Cookie Recipes, this is the only one I’ll ever need. Thank you so very much. P.S. if I could post a pic, I would. 🙂
My favorite cookies! The whole house fills with the aroma of ginger and molasses too, right? Drooling looking at your perfect cookies, Glory!
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Love,
Sandhya
Hi,
I have used your recipe in making Gingerbread boy , the result was perfect , the best recipe ever. Today while I was making a new batch of this recipe , I think I have forgot to
add the baking soda , so , I add it , but now I am afraid that maybe ,the baking soda had been doubled , and been put two times , infact I do not know if I should throw away this batch and start a new one , or what to do ?!! can you advise please .Thank you.
What does the water do in this recipe? I have never seen it used in ginger cookies.
Hi Deborah, I usually make a recipe as I found it (in this case from All recipes) and then make changes as needed. The recipe turned out so good I just left it as is, even though I too thought the water seemed silly. I’ve since made a minor adjustment (omit the water and add 1 teaspoon vanilla) and it worked beautifully too. I’ve adjusted the recipe now.
Can this recipe be used to make rolled gingerbread cookies, too?
Hi Melody, This dough would be a bit too soft for a roll out cookie, but I have a delicious roll out gingerbread recipe here, https://www.glorioustreats.com/gingerbread-cookies-recipe/ (this makes a large batch, feel free to cut the recipe in half)
I wanna try them!!! The recipe is sorta similar to a gingerbread cookie’s though… :/
Yes, they are basically a drop cookie version of gingerbread.
One of my favourite cookies to bake (and eat) at Christmas time!
These sound lovely! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
http://abigailalicex.blogspot.co.uk
Mmm definitely a favorite in my house! LOVE this cookie – they look perfectly chewy!