Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

These chewy ginger molasses cookies are soft, spicy, and perfectly sweet, with warm notes of cinnamon, cloves, and fresh ginger baked right in. They crack beautifully on top, stay irresistibly tender inside, and are heavenly enjoyed warm from the oven at Christmastime—or even made into ice cream sandwiches during the summer!

Molasses cookies hold a special place in my heart among all my cookie recipes. To me, they just scream, ” Holiday baking!” The blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves has always been one of my favorite flavor combinations; it’s warm and nostalgic and makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. The molasses adds a depth that sets these cookies apart, giving them that signature chewy texture and rich, spiced sweetness that feels comforting any time of year.

For more cookies with that warm, festive flavoring, check out my Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt, Amaretti Cookies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, and my Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe.

 

Ingredients:

• White Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread just enough for that classic crackled top. I prefer white sugar over brown sugar because the molasses adds to the chewiness, but the white sugar ensures crispy edges. Roll the dough balls in extra sugar before baking for a pretty sparkle and light crunch.
• Butter: If you are based in the U.S., I prefer to use salted Land O’Lakes butter for the best flavor. Outside the U.S., use unsalted butter. Ensure the butter is at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar and creates a soft, fluffy base.
• Molasses: Gives these cookies their deep color and chewy texture. Choose unsulphured molasses like Grandma’s.
• Egg: Adds moisture and structure, keeping the cookies soft and tender after baking.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the spice flavors and rounds out the sweetness with a touch of warmth.
• Flour: All-purpose flour provides the perfect structure for a chewy, bakery-style cookie.
• Baking Soda: Helps the cookies puff up slightly before settling into their signature cracks on top.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all those warm, spiced flavors.
• Spices: Use a combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves. This trio fills your kitchen with that cozy holiday aroma and gives every bite a comforting, old-fashioned warmth. If it’s been more than a year since you bought your spices, it’s worth refreshing them for a stronger flavor.
• Candied Ginger: Look for it labeled as crystallized ginger in the spice or dried fruit aisle, or find it online. It adds chewy, sweet-spicy bursts throughout the cookies.

What’s the Trick to a Soft and Chewy Cookie?

• The ratio of butter to flour. The less flour, the chewier the interior will be.
• Molasses’ thick, viscous texture imparts flavor and sweetness and a nice amount of chewiness.
• Baking soda over baking powder will always deliver a chewier cookie.
• Do not overbake the cookies. Pull them out once they begin to set and crack, then allow them to finish “baking” on the hot cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes. This also adds to the chewiness.
• Store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature, or for extra chewiness, store them in the refrigerator.

What Type of Molasses Is Best for Molasses Cookies?

• Personally, my favorite brand is Grandma’s Unsulphured Molasses. It’s flavorful and sweet, without any bitterness to it. If you can’t find it in your store you can also buy it online. 
• Some molasses varieties will be labeled “Sulphured.” This means that sulfur was added to the sugar cane during its production. It can impart a strange aftertaste in the molasses and, in fact, can cause allergies in some people, so it’s best to play it safe and buy unsulphured molasses.
• Stay away from Blackstrap Molasses for this recipe. Blackstrap molasses has a bitter taste and is best for savory recipes. 
• If you live outside the United States and can’t get molasses, treacle is the next best thing.
• It’s just sticky and sweet and will provide a very similar flavor. Any leftovers can be used in my homemade BBQ Sauce for ribs or for my BBQ chicken Sliders.

Seek Out The Candied Ginger

• The thing that makes these cookies extra delicious is the candied ginger mixed into the dough. You’ll chop it up into small pieces and bake it into cookies. It provides a wonderful zing of sweet ginger flavor that is unexpected but welcomed! 
• Candied ginger is also sometimes labeled as crystallized ginger, and it can typically be found in the spice aisle of your supermarket or in the dried fruit aisle, too.
• But if you can’t find it there, buying candied ginger online is also really easy.

Watch a Video Demo of this Recipe

Step#1: Beat the Butter and Sugar

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• This can take 3-5 minutes with softened butter. Don’t rush this step! Beating the butter until fluffy will help the molasses and eggs incorporate better than if the butter were still cold and stiff.
• Add the molasses and mix again, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

Step#2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds, beating gently between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. 
• Stir in the candied ginger until evenly distributed.

Step#3: Chill the Dough

• Molasses cookies need to be chilled because the molasses is so sticky and viscous. Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours helps firm it up so it’s easier to scoop and roll.
• I chill the dough right in the metal mixing bowl of my Kitchen Air Mixer because I find the metal bowl makes the chilling process go even faster.
• Once the dough is chilled, scoop it out with a 2 ounce-sized ice cream scoop, this will create a generous 3-inch cookie. 

Why You Should Always Chill Ginger Molasses Cookie Dough

Don’t skip this step; it makes all the difference. Because molasses is so gooey and sticky, the dough really needs time to firm up in the fridge before baking. I like to chill mine for at least two hours, but overnight is even better. It makes the dough so much easier to scoop and roll, and it helps the cookies keep their shape in the oven instead of spreading too much.

Step#5: Prepare for Baking

• Place the cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet, either with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Leave plenty of space between each cookie since they’ll spread as they bake.
• Bake one batch of cookies at a time for even browning.
• Bake for the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the tops begin to crack.
• Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. This will help the cookies set up and become less fragile before moving them.

Baking Tips:

• Only bake six cookies at a time since they spread out quite a bit.
• Use parchment paper liners on your cookie sheet to prevent the bottoms from burning too much. This will also assure a chewier texture
• Don’t overbake the cookies! These cookies do best baked at 350F for just 15-minutes. Once they show their cracks pull them out of the oven. This also adds to their chewy texture.

How to Make Ice Cream Sandwiches

• Once the cookies are completely cool, sandwich 1-2 scoops of your favorite ice cream between two cookies. 
• Press gently to spread the ice cream to the edges.
• Place the assembled sandwiches on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the best texture. 
• Serve straight from the freezer for a perfectly chewy, creamy treat! 

Substitutions and Variations

• These cookies make fantastic ice cream sandwiches. Vanilla bean ice cream or my Salted Caramel Ice Cream are my favorite combinations, but coffee or pumpkin spice ice cream works beautifully too.
• For a smaller cookie, use a tablespoon-sized scoop and reduce the baking time by a few minutes. They’ll still be wonderfully chewy and a great size for gifting.

Can I Make the Dough Ahead of Time?

Yes, and it’s actually better that way! The flavors deepen as it sits and chills. You can make the dough up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

How Should I Store Ginger Molasses Cookies?

Once the cookies are cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft and chewy for about five days.

Can I Freeze Ginger Molasses Cookies?

Definitely. Roll the dough balls in sugar first, then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, pop them into a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen—add an extra minute or two.

 

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