Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe 🍪
Let me level with you: there’s a primal pleasure in biting into a cookie that hugs your mouth—warm, soft, full of spice, and sweetened with rich molasses. These aren’t your basic sugar bombs. These are molasses cookies that whisper cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in your ear and insist you slow down, savor, and maybe dunk them in a mug of steaming tea or coffee.
They’re nostalgic without being clingy, indulgent without being sticky, and—listen—extra chewy. You’ll find yourself saying things like “just one more” until the jar is empty and the kitchen smells like nostalgia baked into flour.
Recipe Card
| Recipe Name | Soft Molasses Cookies |
|---|---|
| Summary | Tender, chewy molasses-spiced cookies that pack cinnamon, cloves, and ginger into a soft, warm bite—perfect for cozying up this season. |
| Servings | ~24 cookies |
| Prep Time | 15 min |
| Cook Time | 8–10 min |
| Additional Time | 30 min chilling |
| Total Time | ~55 min |
| Course | Dessert / Snack |
| Cuisine | American |
| Method | Baking |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Keywords | molasses cookies, soft cookies, ginger cookies, holiday baking, spiced cookies |
| Equipment | Mixing bowls, electric mixer (hand or stand), measuring cups/spoons, baking sheets, parchment paper, wire rack |
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla—beat until silky smooth.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined. The dough will be soft, moist, and fragrant.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes. This gives cookies structure and deeper flavor.
- Shape and sugar: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough by tablespoon, roll into balls, and coat in granulated sugar.
- Bake just right: Arrange cookies 2″ apart. Bake for 8–10 minutes: edges should be set, centers puffy and slightly soft. They’ll bake more as they cool.
- Cool and store: Let cookies rest on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container to retain chew.
Kitchen Notes
- Chill time matters
Yes, it’s tempting to skip, but chilling firms the dough so your cookies bake soft and thick, not flat and crispy. - Spice tweak
Feel spicy? Add an extra ¼ tsp of ginger or swap half the brown sugar for dark brown for a richer molasses flavor. - Rolling in sugar
That crackly sugar crust is key texture contrast. If too sweet, roll halfway or dust lightly after baking. - Doneness check
They’ll feel underdone at first—centers will sink just a hair when touched. That’s perfect. Overbake and you lose the chew. - Molasses tip
Use good unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s). Blackstrap is too bitter and harsh here—save it for barbecue. - Storage pro tip
Add a slice of bread to the cookie jar to keep them soft longer. Magic trick of the cookie world. - Freezing
Dough balls freeze beautifully. Pop on baking sheet, freeze, transfer to bag, and bake straight from frozen—just add 1–2 min bake time.
Final Crumble Thought
These soft molasses cookies are like a hug in treat form: warm spices, tender bite, and just enough sweetness to make you slow down and enjoy. Whether you’re baking with kids, stashing a jar in the pantry, or sneaking one at midnight, these cookies are simple pleasure.
So preheat that oven. Scoop, roll, bake. Then grab a warm cookie, break it in half, and appreciate that chew. Its home.
Want more rustic, foolproof recipes like this one? I’d love to send a few your way. Just shoot me a message at [email protected].