These soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are one of my FAVORITE holiday cookies that are delicious served with cinnamon cream cheese frosting or plain! Perfect for any cookie exchange, party, or just a night at home; they are a true crowd pleaser!
Looking for more cookie recipes? Try my Chewy Gingerbread Cookies, Gingersnap Cookies, or Soft Sugar Cookies!
Why I love these cookies:
- Plain or Frosted: These molasses cookies are perfect either way, and both deserve a 5 star!
- Make Ahead & Freezer Friendly: Easy to make ahead, and freezes great! I love to have some on hand to share with friends! Look for my tips below!
- Delicious: These cookies are perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are a true crowd pleaser!
How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookies:
Stir Dry Ingredients: Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in a large bowl.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine butter and sugar. Add molasses and eggs and stir.
Combine wet mixture into the dry mixture and chill the dough for about 30 minutes.
Form balls and roll in sugar: Just like snickerdoodles these cookies are rolled in granulated sugar before baking.
Bake soft molasses cookies on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes. It’s very important to not over bake the cookies or they will be hard and dry instead of soft and chewy. To check for doneness, open oven and gently push the side of a cookie with your finger or utensil. You are looking for the edges to stay firm and the middle to look soft but not to sink inwards.
We love to top these cookies with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon mixed in–it takes them over the top! But they’re fantastic plain, as well!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: This cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours. Store baked cookies in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
To Freeze: I like to make a double batch of this molasses cookies recipe so I have extras in the freezer for when friends come over. They freeze wonderfully!
- To Freeze Cookie Dough: Form dough balls and roll them in sugar (through step 6). Place cookie dough balls in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 1 to 2 minutes longer than recipe states.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Allow cookies to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for 2-3 months.
Recipe Variations:
- Ginger: I highly recommend dry ground ginger for this recipe. Ground ginger is used most often in baking since fresh ginger has a different texture that may overpower the cookies. If you only have fresh ginger, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger for the ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Make sure to grate the ginger very fine so it doesn’t overpower the cookies.
More Holiday Treats:
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- Rocky Road
- Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
- Peppermint Brownies
- Brownie Truffles
- Christmas Cornflake Wreaths
- Homemade Caramels
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Recipe
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup butter , room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- Sugar for rolling
- 1 batch Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Set aside.
- In another bowl beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to several days) before rolling into balls.
- Roll the dough into small balls and then roll the dough balls in granulated sugar.
- Place on prepared sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes (don’t over bake them if you want a soft, chewy cookie).
- Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, if desired. Store in an air-tight container, or in the freezer (they freeze really well!)
Notes
- To Freeze Cookie Dough: Form dough balls and roll them in sugar (through step 6). Place cookie dough balls in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 1 to 2 minutes longer than recipe states.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Allow cookies to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
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I tried this recipe years ago thanks to Mel, from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe –I like to make a smaller batch of 2 dozen, and love to add cream cheese frosting.
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I originally shared this recipe December 2015. Updated December 2019 and November 2021.
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The ingredient list says one large egg, but the instructions say to add “eggs” (plural) and molasses to the sugar mixture and mix until well combined. Does this recipe have only the one large egg, or are there more as “eggs” IS PLURALIZED?
1 egg! Happy Baking and please come back to let us know what you think of the cookies!
THESE COOKIES WERE FANTASTIC. I prefer a soft cookie to a crispy one and these disappeared in no time. I am making a second batch right now. My neighbours have their grandchildren visiting so I know this new batch will be devoured in no time also.
Fantastic!! I used gluten free flour instead of regular flour. Nailed it. These were a hit over the Christmas holiday weekend get together. 2 dozen cookies gone in 24 hours. Highly recommend!!
So I changed it a little
Used
1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup cream cheese (instead of 3/4 cup butter)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar (instead of 3/4 cup white sugar)
Add 2t cornstarch
Add 1/4t nutmeg
1 and 1/2 t ginger (instead of 1/2t)
Cover bowl and put in freezer overnight
Use small cookie scoop instead of rolling balls
Bake per recipe
I get raves for these cookies
Thanks
These really are the BEST Ginger Molasses cookies. The flavors are so subtle and delicious and just chewy enough that I guarantee you’ll want to eat the entire batch! My very minor tweaks were to cut the clove back a tad and add the white of a second egg. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends!
They tasted really good but they weren’t as fluffy and big as the ones in your picture they were very flat. I followed every step and your recipe to a T.
I’ve been looking for this recipe for a very long time! Making it today!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!! I can’t wait to make them! Thank you!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Don’t change a thing, it’s perfect.