Ginger Molasses Cookies

These soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are our favorite holiday cookies, served freshly baked, or with cinnamon cream cheese frosting added on top.

If you love that ginger flavor in cookies, be sure to try try my Gingerbreadman Cookies, Gingersnap Cookies, or Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!

Why I love these cookies:

• Plain or Frosted: This ginger cookies recipe is delicious served with ir without frosting. and both deserve 5 stars!
• Thick and Chewy: Unlike Gingersnaps, which have their purpose but are thin and crisp, these ginger molasses cookies are thick, chewy and absolutely delicious.
• 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!

How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookies:

Stir Dry Ingredients: Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in a large bowl.

Combine: In a separate bowl, mix 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 old fashioned chewy molasses 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 ginger 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 the 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 the Baked Cookies: Allow cookies to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for 2-3 months.

More Holiday Treats:

• Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
• Rocky Road
• Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
• Peppermint Brownies
• Brownie Truffles
• Christmas Cornflake Wreaths
• Homemade Caramels

Recipe

4.96 from 47 votes

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are everyone's favorite, served plain or with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Print Pin Review

Author Lauren Allen

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Calories 127

Cost 5

Prep 45 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 55 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Hand mixer
• wire cooling rack

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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
• ▢ granulated 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 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 airtight container, or in the freezer (they freeze really well!)

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: The 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.

Freezing Instructions: To freeze cookie dough, roll cookie dough balls in sugar and place in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 2-3 minutes longer than recipe states. To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months.

Ginger: I recommend 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 0.004mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

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Original recipe inspired by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I like to make a smaller batch of 2 dozen, and love to add cream cheese frosting.

I originally shared this recipe December 2015. Updated December 2019, November 2021, and October 2023.

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