Soft Molasses Cookies combine ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and sugar to form the perfect soft batch cookie with a chewy texture. They smell and taste amazing, like soft Ginger Snaps, and are easy and quick, ready in just 20 minutes.
Why I love this recipe
This small batch recipe makes about 8 large chewy cookies. This soft cookie is a family favorite for holiday cookies at Christmas time, and great for a bake sale or any special occasion any time of year.
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Simple Ingredients
(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)
all-purpose flour
ground ginger
baking soda
ground cinnamon
ground cloves
salt
butter
granulated sugar
egg yolk
water
regular molasses (dark or light, not blackstrap)
Equipment used for this recipe
stand mixer or electric mixer
How to make Soft Molasses Cookies
Step 1 – Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 – In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and set aside.
Step 3 – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and hand mixer, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup sugar on low speed until light and fluffy.
Step 4 – Beat in the egg yolk, and then mix in the water and molasses.
Step 5 – Gradually add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture. If the dough is too sticky to form balls, add extra flour by the tablespoonful.
Step 6 – Spritz a cookie scoop or melon baller with non-stick spray then scoop out a walnut-sized ball of dough. Drop it into the remaining 4 teaspoons of sugar and roll it around to coat. Re-spritz the scoop as needed, about every other cookie.
Step 7 – Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Don’t flatten them.
Step 8 – Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven.
Step 9 – Allow the baked cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tips
- This recipe makes approximately 8 – 12 cookies. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
You can use dark molasses or light molasses. Do not use Blackstrap molasses as it is more bitter and denser.
You may also enjoy
- Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- No Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mint Chocolate No-bake Cookies
- Mini Skillet Cookie
Soft Molasses Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 Tablespoons regular molasses (dark or light, see notes)
- 4 teaspoons white sugar (for rolling in)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl and hand mixer, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup sugar on low speed until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg yolk, and then mix in the water and molasses.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture. If the dough is too sticky to form balls, add extra flour by the tablespoonful.
- Spritz a cookie scoop or melon baller with non-stick spray then scoop out a walnut size ball of dough. Drop it into the remaining 4 teaspoons of sugar and roll it around to coat. Re-spritz the scoop as needed, about every other cookie.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Don’t flatten them.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Allow the baked cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 8 – 12 cookies. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- You can use dark molasses or light molasses. Do not use Blackstrap molasses as it is more bitter and denser.
Nutrition
Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!
Debra
Tuesday 9th of March 2021
I just made these cookies It gave me 12.I did have to add one tablespoon of flour extra I live in a high altitude so I lowered my temperature and I baked them at 325° for 10 minutes and they still slightly burned on the bottom It seems to me that all my cookies are burning slightly on the bottom I do have a cookie sheet with parchment paper so I'm a little confused why. And they did not crinkle on the top and I did put them in sugar🤔
Zona
Tuesday 9th of March 2021
Hi Debra, I found this great guide for high altitude baking at https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking (copy and paste to view it)
It indicates that it's best to increase the temperature, not decrease, and decrease the time. So maybe baking at 375 for 7-8 minutes would work for you. This may also help with getting the tops to crackle correctly.
And here are some tips for why cookies burn on the bottom: The baking utensils are too dark (non-stick finish or darkened by age) or glass. Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause over browning. The oven was not fully preheated. The cookie sheet may be too large for the oven and not allowing sufficient heat circulation. The heat is trapped under the pan and the cookies will burn on the bottom before the tops are brown. Allow at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches around the cookie sheet. The oven door may be opened too often. Opening the door frequently during baking causes the lower element to cycle on and provide too much intense heat. The rack position used was too low. The use of the second or third rack position is recommended.
I hope these tips help and you can enjoy all of your baked goods :)
Maria Devan
Saturday 20th of February 2021
This was a terrific recipe. Just the right size for 1 or 2 people. I had just about enough molasses to try it twice so I did. I read the comment from the person who wondered if you could add the egg white, So on my 2nd batch I added some more flour a little bit of baking powder a touch more sugar and I made a smalle Ginger cake from the same recipe. This goes into the recipe file to use again and again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Zona
Saturday 20th of February 2021
Hi Maria, I'm so glad you enjoy these cookies and what a great idea making the small ginger cake. I will have to try that too! Thank you :)
Laura
Monday 25th of January 2021
Hi, I made these cookies, but the top crust of them did not separate like the photos. How do I get it to do that?
Zona
Monday 25th of January 2021
Hi Laura, to get the cracks, you need to have the top set early, so it's not going to expand while the middle's still trying to rise, and there's still enough leavening left to break through the crust that formed. Here are a few things that can go wrong: The oven isn't hot enough. (it needs to set the top before the middle's fully risen) Not enough leavening, in this case, baking soda (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Not creaming the butter long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work) Making too thin of cookies (you need enough mass in the middle so it finishes cooking after the top's set). Mixing the dough too much (you don't want to develop gluten; it needs to be tender enough to crack easily) Old baking soda can be a problem. It might be worth investing in an oven thermometer to make sure that it's really providing the temperature the dial claims, as that us going to be the most difficult to judge if it's a problem or not. Also make sure the oven is properly pre-heated (so it doesn't loose all its heat when you open the door to put the cookies in), and avoid opening the door again 'til it's time to pull them out. I hope you can figure out what may have been the cause for you and good luck :)
Ranee Jenkins
Wednesday 18th of November 2020
Would it not work if I used the whole egg and not just the yolk? I don't want to have to think or make the effort of making something with the egg white. I am too lazy for that and I don't want to waste the egg white:)
Zona
Wednesday 18th of November 2020
Hi Ranee, adding too much egg can result in gummy, cake-like cookies so I don't recommend using the whole egg. If I don't need the egg white for something else I usually microwave it and mix it in with my dog's food so it doesn't go to waste. Although I have not tried any of these in this recipe maybe one of these common egg substitutes would work for you: Mashed Banana, Applesauce, Silken Tofu, Ground Flax Seed mixed with water, Yogurt (dairy-free or regular), Buttermilk, Sweetened Condensed Milk. Sorry, I hope that helps :)
Bonnie
Wednesday 30th of September 2020
I made these with my 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour. They turned out so good. Just didn't cook them as long. Its nice to have homemade cookies again. Glad they are small batch.
Zona
Wednesday 30th of September 2020
Hi Bonnie, I'm so glad your adaptation worked for you and you can enjoy these yummy cookies :)