These soft and chewy Molasses Cookies are hands down my all time favorite Christmas Cookie!
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!
Let’s talk 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!
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup white sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup dark molasses
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (measured by scoop and leveling)
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 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.
The timeliness of this is uncanny! I just saw my Molasses last night, and thought aha! Then I said to myself “self – don’t forget where that is so you can make some Molasses Cookies”. I”m not even kidding. Too funny. These look fantastic, so I quickly Stumbled them so I can come back time and again.
Thank you,
Emily
http://www.justeatfood.com
Too bad I am going to work this morning, or I would be home making these! Alas, they will have to wait for tomorrow! One of my all time favorites!
I need to bake these soon, it is the season for them!
I want some of these immediately! They look amazing!
Yum!! Those look so good and soft, just how I like them! I am going to have to try to make some of these, hopefully they turn out as well as yours!
Molasses cookies are some of our favorites here. I will try your recipe- yours look delicious!
Great tip from Joan from Joan’s on Third – wet ball of dough and then dip in sugar – see her great recipe in Fall issue of edible LA or on website.
I am definitely making these for the holidays! Yummmmm
They turned out great, thanks so much! I moved to Australia almost 2 years ago and they don’t do cookies like this here. Yum!!!
You used to have the gluten free molasses cookie recipe on your page and it was AMAZING! I had bookmarked because I made them so frequently. I went to fetch it earlier today to make these incredible cookies for my cookie party this year but the link no longer works!!? I’m so disappointed, is there anyway you can re post it or direct me on how to find it?? No recipe compares- even the link to one at the bottom. Thanks for all of your great recipes, we love them at our house!
just emailed you 🙂
Could you send it to me too? These sound great!
I too would love to have your Gluten Free Molasses Cookie recipe back… I have three sweet little boys who are craving some delicious GF molasses cookies! =) Is it possible to put these back on the site? Thank you so much!!
Hi Erika! I removed them because a few people kept saying that they were having issues with the recipe – so I was going to re-test it and make sure I didn’t mis-print anything. Have you made them before?? Let me find the recipe and email it to you!
Try almond flour that’s great for gluten-free, recipes, cakes too! Cat O
Thank you Gaby! I haven’t tried the recipe before, but a friend sent me the link… I’m going to try them right now and I’ll let you know how they turn out! =) Thanks again!
Ok, I tried a gluten free version of this last night and they came out pretty good! Here’s my *modified* recipe (of Gaby’s GF version) for anyone that might want to try it themselves.
* 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (I used King Arthur Brand)
* Âľ tsp. Xanthan Gum (essential to most GF cooking for binding)
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
* ½ tsp Salt
Âľ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
You must refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours before baking – and don’t press the cookie ball down… otherwise you will end up with a very flat, hard cookie. It wasn’t the best Ginger Snap / Molasses cookie I’ve ever eaten, but it tasted great and they were devoured by my family in no time! =)
Thanks again Gaby!
I love family recipes. There’s a reason they get passed down – they’re really good. NowI know what I am making with that bottle of molasses that’s been in my pantry!
Hands down my favorite! I will be making these and your chocolate crinkle cookies very soon. I love that they can be frozen and are just as delicious after the thaw.
Molasses cookies, my favorite. Did I read that correctly…. 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie?
yup! 1-2 tablespoons of dough per cookie
I love how this recipe uses melted butter. I always find creaming butter and sugar together so…annoying. What can I say? I’m lazy!
ahahahaha I hear you!!! melted butter all the way
I love your videos!!! And I want your nail polish! My husband makes hermit bars that are basically a molasses ginger cookie bar and I have to agree – they are now my favorite type of holiday cookie. So good!
Are these crispy or soft?
both! slightly crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside!
Picture this: the two happiest men in the world-my sweet husband and his dad- sitting at the kitchen table, milk at each place, eating warm molasses cookies as they came from the oven! My FatherInLaw passed 8 years ago but the last 3 at our home were happy years. You are so right about this recipe-this is THE recipe!
Enjoy !
awwww thank you Shelby!
the most perfect looking molasses cookies ever. love that crackle!!!
Mmmmm…these look gooooood! 🙂
These cookies look so very yummy!
These look amazing, Gaby! I need a batch asap.
I can never get enough molasses cookies!! These look perfect!
Gaby, I made these for a Benefit last night (Operation Happiness) and they were a giant hit! Also, I put the dough into a log and rolled it up in parchment and kept it in the freezer. Anytime I want (like this morning, haha) I cut a few slices, roll them in sugar and bake them in the toaster oven. They came out fantastic. Thanks for a terrific new cookie for my guests. Happy Holidays!
How many cookies does this recipe (1 batch) yield?
3 dozen!
So glad I found your recipe. My husband love molasses cookies. I ended up making these for my cookie exchange they were so good. Thanks
I’ve been looking for a molasses cookie recipe !! Stumbled upon your recipe on Pinterest. Making these tonight to give as gifts !! Thank You, your cookies look delicious !!
Thanks Karen! The molasses cookies are my FAVORITES.
These were delicious. Definitely a keeper as they are the new favorite in my house.
Making these to send to my Marines! One of them requested Molasses cookies..so going to give these a try!!
YES!!!!!!!!! These are my absolute favorite as well.
Quick question…. Why do they cookies look different in the first/top picture (and Instagram), then in the other pics? Did you refrigerator one and not the other?? The top cookies look like they spread out more. Just curious because I prefer the first pic and I’d like to duplicate those. Thanks! They look amazing!!
just the size of the cookie scoop!!! Use a 2 tbsp scoop 🙂
Could you substitute the butter with vegetable oil or coconut oil?
I havent tested it that way so I’m not entirely sure – but if you do, let me know!!
Please include a photo in your emails. It would save everyone a lot of trouble.
working on it as we speak
These sound a lot like the molasses (AKA ginger snaps) recipe I’ve been using for years except mine calls or canola oil instead of the butter, which makes them good for my nephew with a milk allergy (fortunately he can tolerate eggs). I make mine smaller — 1 tbsp, but a friend makes them in the bigger 2 tbsp size and then makes ice cream sandwiches out of them. How yummy is that!?!
These remind me of the ones I grew up with. Probably the same recipe. Sounds familiar. Thanks so much for posting this.
Fedora
Thank you for recipe! I got lots of compliments on them at my Christmas party.
I made these delicious cookies this morning to take to my grandchildren!
What was extra nice was the aroma of the cookies was still in the air at my house when I got home around 7:15 pm!
Love the smell of the spices in my home, & for the aroma to hang around all day….Well that was a bonus!!
My mom baked these for my siblings & me growing up! So good!!
Gaby I made these a couple of days ago. They are hands down the BEST cookies I have ever made! Perfection in shape, the perfect crackle, crisp and soft in the middle. Thank you!
Thanks Jennifer 🙂 xx