Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

The first batch of Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies I bake each December is how I know the Christmas baking season has officially started at our house. The whole kitchen smells like ginger, cinnamon and cloves. They’re soft and chewy in the middle with crackly, sugar-coated tops, and my husband says they’re the best thing to dunk in his evening coffee.

You whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt, then cream butter with white and brown sugar. An egg, a splash of water and molasses go in next, followed by the dry ingredients. Roll the dough balls in sugar and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the tops crack. This molasses cookie recipe makes the bakery-style cookies I put on every holiday cookie tray, and they’re my favorite Christmas cookies.

Why My Family Loves Them

• Soft and chewy: Brown sugar, molasses and a short bake give them chewy centers and a tender texture for days.
• Cozy warm spices: Ginger, cinnamon and cloves taste like Christmas.
• No chilling required: The dough is ready to scoop right away, so you can have warm cookies in about 25 minutes.
• Made for gifting: One batch makes about 3 dozen, so there’s plenty for a cookie exchange, neighbors and teachers during the holiday season.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

• All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. If you have a kitchen scale, 2¼ cups is about 270 grams.
• Ground ginger: Two teaspoons give these ginger cookies their signature spice.
• Cinnamon and ground cloves: Cloves are strong, so a little goes a long way.
• Baking soda and salt: The baking soda helps the cookies puff and crack.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams up light and fluffy, so set it out at room temperature first.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Together, white sugar and brown sugar give you crisp edges and a chewy texture.
• Egg and water: One egg and a tablespoon of water keep the dough soft.
• Molasses: Regular unsulphured molasses gives the best balanced flavor. More on that below.
• Sugar for rolling: A coating of granulated sugar makes those pretty crackled, sparkly tops.

How to Make Molasses Cookies

Step one: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Step two: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.

Step three: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Step four: Add the egg, water and molasses, and mix on low speed just until combined. These are your wet ingredients.

Step five: Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until a soft cookie dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step six: Shape the dough into rounded tablespoon-sized balls. Roll each one in granulated sugar and place the small balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Step seven: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops begin to crack.

Step eight: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Which Molasses Is Best for Ginger Cookies?

The type of molasses matters. Use regular unsulphured molasses, either light molasses or dark molasses, for these cookies. Dark unsulphured molasses gives a rich molasses flavor, and that’s what I usually grab. Brands like Grandma’s and Brer Rabbit are easy to find in most grocery stores. I don’t recommend blackstrap molasses here. It has a robust flavor that’s much more bitter and less sweet, so it can make the cookies taste harsh.

Ginger Molasses Cookies vs. Gingerbread Cookies

They use a lot of the same warm spices, but they’re different cookies. Gingerbread cookies are a firmer dough that you roll out and cut into shapes, like gingerbread men. Ginger molasses cookies are soft drop cookies. Instead, you roll the dough into balls, coat them in sugar and bake them until the tops crackle.

Substitutions and Variations

• Add a little heat: A pinch of black pepper or cayenne in the dry ingredients gives these a spicy kick.
• Coarse sugar: Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar for extra sparkle and a little crunch.
• White chocolate chips: Stir in a handful for a sweet twist, almost like chocolate chip cookies with a holiday spin. They’re so good with the spices.
• Another soft cookie: Want something lighter for the tray? My Soft Maple Sugar Cookies are another cozy, soft cookie.

My Best Tips

• Don’t overbake: Pull them when the tops crack and the centers still look a little soft. After that, they’ll firm up as they cool.
• Measure the flour carefully: Too much flour is the most common reason molasses cookies turn out dry and puffy.
• Chill if the dough is sticky: If your kitchen is warm, cover the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes before scooping.
• Bang the pan: For extra crinkly tops and chewier cookies, tap the baking sheet on the counter right after it comes out of the oven.

How to Store Ginger Molasses Cookies

Room temperature: Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Layer them with parchment paper if you’re stacking them.

Freezer: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer first, then in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Later, thaw them at room temperature.

Freezing the dough: Freeze the sugar-rolled dough balls on a sheet pan until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding about 1 minute to the baking time.

Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies FAQs

Why aren’t my molasses cookies cracking on top?

Rolling the dough balls in sugar helps create the crinkles. If the dough was overmixed or too cold, the tops may stay smooth. Tapping the pan on the counter right out of the oven helps too.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Then let it sit out for a few minutes if it’s too firm to scoop.

Can I use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger?

I recommend ground ginger for this recipe. Fresh ginger has a different, sharper flavor and adds moisture, so the cookies won’t turn out quite the same.

How do I keep molasses cookies soft?

For soft molasses cookies, don’t overbake them, and store them in an airtight container as soon as they cool. A slice of bread in the container helps keep these chewy ginger cookies soft, too. I love one warm cookie with a glass of milk.

These soft ginger molasses cookies are the perfect holiday treat. If you’re putting together a list of Christmas cookie recipes this year, be sure to add these to it!

More Christmas Cookies

• Snowball Christmas Cookies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Hershey Kiss Cookies
• Holiday Spritz Cookies
• Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
• Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies