These soft and chewy Molasses Cookies are hands down my all time favorite Christmas Cookie! Every year they are the crowd favorite from my Christmas Cookie Roundup.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
These Molasses Cookies come from my mom - who I think got the recipe from my her mom and she probably got it from her mom. Who knows. Either way - these Molasses Cookies are perfection. The dough comes together quickly, chills in the fridge to harden it up, and then rolled into balls and coated in sugar before baking. The result is a perfectly soft and chewy molasses cookie that you'll totally love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter – I like to use unsalted butter when baking to control the amount of salt I add to the recipe. Make sure your butter is at room temperature before creaming it together with the sugars to yield the best results.
- White Sugar– White sugar helps aerate the cookies when creamed with the butter to create tiny air pockets for a crispier cookie.
- Egg – Use large eggs at room temperature. If they're straight from the fridge, they will make the butter seize and won't combine evenly.
- Dark Molasses – Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn't anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It's carried at almost every grocery store so it's easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
- All-Purpose Flour – Measured by scoop and leveling.
- Baking Soda – For leavening, texture, flavor, and browning.
- Spices – I like using a combination of cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger.
*For full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to Make Molasses Cookies
Step 1: In a large stand mixer combine the butter, sugar, egg and molasses. Mix for a minute or two until well combined.
Step 2: Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 3: Once chilled, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into balls.
Step 4: Roll them around in a small cup of sugar and set onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 5: After baking remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.
Step 6: Store any leftover Molasses Cookies in the freezer. This way they stay fresh even longer!
The in's and outs of Molasses Cookies!
- What does molasses do for cookies?
- Molasses makes baked goods extra soft so these cookies stay chewy even longer!
- What's a good substitute for molasses?
- Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn't anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It's carried at almost every grocery store so it's easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
- How do you store molasses cookies?
- My family has been storing them in the freezer since I was a kid. I'll take out as many as I need an hour or so before I plan on eating them and let them come to room temp. This way they stay fresh even longer! You can also nuke them in the microwave for 10 seconds when they come out of the freezer to speed the process up
- Should I use light or dark molasses?
- For baking - always use dark molasses!
So whip up a double batch of these and store them in the freezer for the next few weeks while you’re prepping for the holidays! Grab a few when you’re sweet tooth strikes and warm them up a bit in the microwave just so you can pretend you’re eating a cooking fresh outta the oven. They are pure perfection - I promise!
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Molasses Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup white sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup dark molasses
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (measured by scoop and leveling)
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
Instructions
- In a large stand mixer combine the butter, sugar, egg and molasses. Mix for a minute or two until well combined.
- Combine the flour, cloves, ginger cinnamon and baking soda and sift together.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Once chilled, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into balls. Roll them around in a small cup of sugar and set onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.
Notes
- What does molasses do for cookies?
- Molasses makes baked goods extra soft so these cookies stay chewy even longer!
- What’s a good substitute for molasses?
- Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn’t anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It’s carried at almost every grocery store so it’s easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
- How do you store molasses cookies?
- My family has been storing them in the freezer since I was a kid. I’ll take out as many as I need an hour or so before I plan on eating them and let them come to room temp. This way they stay fresh even longer! You can also nuke them in the microwave for 10 seconds when they come out of the freezer to speed the process up
- Should I use light or dark molasses?
- For baking – always use dark molasses!
Best molasses cookie I’ve ever made or had!!!!!
Gaby, I have baked these cookies several times. They are awesome ( this is the only recipe I have ever tried for molasses cookies) But I am finding that my cookies have a salty flavor. I use unsalted butter and do not add any salt. Are they supposed to taste salty?
hmmmmmm that's weird since there isn't any salt in them. Are you using a new/different brand of molasses that might be a little more salty that usual? xx
Can I completely substitute brown sugar for the white? Will it change the consistency at all? I prefer brown sugar..
sure thing!
Hi! Looking forward to trying this recipe. I've always made ones of a similar recipe, but my results are always inconsistent! Sometimes a batch will crackle perfectly and be round, almost flat and chewy. Other times, they puff up! I can't figure out why. Have you experienced this? Hoping this recipe will be "foolproof" 😉
I used 1/2 c white sugar and 1/2 c dark brown sugar; and also added 1/4 tsp. cardamom. They were lovely and chewy but they took much longer than 10-12 min. to bake. I think it was more like 18-20 by the time I finished. I have a Wolf oven.
Same for me. I baked for 12 minutes and took them out and let cool, but after I tried one the dough was still raw in the middle.
Currently preheating my oven to see if I can salvage them by baking for a few more minutes.
I've made these 4 times this holiday season. They are my new favorite holiday cookie!
Do you have to melt the butter first?
yes! it affects the end consistency
Hi! I have the older Pinterest link for molasses cookies from your site that I’ve been making for over 5 years! They are so wonderful and I typically can’t wait till the holidays to make them. This year the pin says the link is inactive. Is this recipe the same as the old post? It seems to be if I remember it right but just wanted to make sure as the pictures of the final cookie look different. I appreciate your help and your fabulous family recipe!
If I’m short on time do they need to chill for an hour?
yes - makes a difference in the final texture. You could stick in the freezer for 20 minutes if that's easier
Managed to chill them about 45 minutes. That helped. I did however grab baking powder instead of baking soda. . Got some of the powder out, added the soda and they were still a hit at the Christmas lunch.
These cookies are delicious and just scream holiday time! My husband and kids even loved them, which blew me away because they are all very picky. If it isn't chocolate covered with more chocolate they usually aren't interested. Just sent my hubby off to work with a couple dozen! Thank you for sharing with all of us! These are going to become a Christmas cookie tradition for our family!
Heavenly! I rolled it in “sugar in the raw” first and then in granulated sugar for good measure! Legit best molasses chew recipe ever! Thank you! I’ve been on the hunt for years. This is the holy grail!!!
Do you freeze the dough or the finished cookie?
either!
These are great! I made small ones - about 50 cookies and they came out perfectly. A bit of crunch outside and soft and chewy inside. Thanks for a great recipe.
Gaby, you don’t use salt in this recipe? I put in 1 tsp and it really made a difference.
discovered this recipe last year and easily made 4-5 batches during the holidays... so easy and SO delicious! this year’s first batch is chilling in the fridge now. such a great recipe that I know will be a part of my family’s holiday traditions for years to come!!