Soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies are made with plenty of ground ginger, cinnamon and molasses then rolled in sugar! These cookies are a holiday favorite.
If you love cookie recipes with ginger flavor, other favorites include gingerbread man cookies, gingerbread whoopie pies and my gingersnap cookie recipe!
Table of Contents
Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas cookies for your next cookie exchange or holiday party, these soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies are it! They come together in 30 minutes and taste incredible. They’re everything you want in a holiday dessert!
This ginger molasses cookie recipe might remind you of a snickerdoodle with it’s soft and chewy inside and crisp edges. They are perfect to include on your next Christmas dessert board or to enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Butter: Unsalted softened butter at room temperature creams best with the sugar.
- Brown sugar: Packed light brown sugar adds softness and sweetness.
- Baking staples: All-purpose flour, baking soda and one large egg.
- Molasses: Unsulphured molasses, found this ‘original’ molasses in the baking aisle.
- Warm spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves add warm spice.
- Sugar: Before baking, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar. They taste like a mix between a snickerdoodle and gingerbread. Seriously the best combination!
How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookies
Combine all the dry ingredients into a glass bowl. Whisk together and set aside. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add in molasses, mix then add dry ingredients.
Using a medium cookie scoop, roll cookie dough into balls. Add granulated sugar to a shallow bowl then roll the balls into the sugar until coated. Place cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving to cooling wire racks.
Molasses Cookies Tips and Variations
- Thicker cookies: If making these plain (without rolling them in sugar), put the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking to make them bake a little fluffier.
- Extra ginger: For more ginger taste add some chopped crystallized ginger. It also adds a nice crunch!
- White chocolate drizzled: Drizzling melted white chocolate over the top really takes these cookies up a notch!
- White chocolate dipped: Dip them in white chocolate then add holly berries to the white chocolate or festive holiday sprinkles.
- Frosted: Add some cream cheese frosting on top, yum!
Recipe FAQs
If you are wanting something richer in flavor without the preservatives you will want to purchase unsulphured molasses, this is different than sulphured molasses and you will want to avoid using blackstrap molasses.
If you did not roll the cookies in sugar, they won’t crack. Sugar dries out the surface and allows the cracks to develop.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. They will get more flavorful and stay nice and soft! You can also freeze baked cookies (that have not been dipped in chocolate) by placing them in a freezer bag or container and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours until no longer frozen.
Yes, prepare dough as directed, then scoop into balls (and roll in sugar if preferred). Place on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes, or until they have hardened. Then transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw on baking sheet while warming up the oven. Then bake as directed.
Wrap these ginger molasses cookies up in a clear bag with ribbon and pass out to friends and coworkers. To gift, bake as directed and cool completely. Dip in white chocolate, let harden then stack cookies in a clear plastic bag. Add a festive Christmas gift tag and gift to neighbors, friends and family.
More cookies and bar recipes with molasses include these cute snowman cookies, homemade gingerbread houses, or these gingerbread bars.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter , softened (I use unsalted)
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling the cookies)
Optional: dash of vanilla, white chocolate melting wafers (for dipping), sprinkles
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Combine 3/4 cup butter and 1 cup light brown sugar in a large bowl. Cream for one minute, or until fluffy. Add in one large egg and beat until smooth. Next add in 1/4 cup molasses and a dash of vanilla if desired. Mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Place 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a sifter (if you don’t have a sifter, whisk in a bowl), and then add to the butter mixture. Mix with a spoon, just until combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Chill dough. Refrigerate dough 10-15 minutes.
- Roll into balls. Using a medium cookie scoop (or about 1.5 Tablespoons), roll the cookie dough into a ball. Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar into a shallow bowl and then roll the dough into the sugar. Place on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten the tops with the palm of your hand.
- Bake. Bake 8-10 minutes and let cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Tip: If your cookies aren't cracking as much as you'd like, bang the pan on the stove right after they come out of the oven to crack the cookies. They will settle as they cool.
- Once the cookies have cooled, dip half the cookies in melted white chocolate half way if desired and place on wax paper or parchment paper if desired. Allow to harden.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Holiday Cookies, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Vegetarian, White Chocolate Cookies
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These cookies are so delicious, soft yet, crispy on the edges, it’s definitely a keeper, I made the ginger snap recipe on this site and found I liked these better.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the ginger molasses cookies!
wow ! this might be a new favorite
This might just be my FAVORITE Christmas cookie!!
You have great taste ;). One of our favorites, too!
The best Christmas cookies of all time! Nostalgia and cozy all wrapped up in chewy ginger goodness!
My thoughts exactly! So glad you love the ginger molasses cookies!
These cookies are SO yummy and festive to boot! A new fav for sure.
Thank you for the review!
Love these!! They are so good!
Thank you for the review of the ginger molasses cookies! Happy to hear you loved them!
These are very good and so festive. Everyone always asks for the recipe when I make them!
So glad to hear the cookies have been such a hit!
We love these cookies! One of our families faves at Christmas time. They are so soft and extra good with the white chocolate drizzle!
Thanks for the review, I am so happy your family loves the cookies!
These are amazing!! Love the added touch of the white chocolate
It makes them so festive, agreed! Thanks for the review of the ginger molasses cookie recipe!
These are my husbands favorite!! He doesn’t eat treats/cookies much,but he devoured these!! He said, “Best ones you’ve ever made!”
And I make a lot of I heart nap time recipes!! They are easy to follow directions/pictures…my family has grown up with her recipes! :)
Love this review and thank you for the kind words! Glad it even wowed the hubby!
Made these and they were a hit! My kiddos enjoyed putting sprinkles on the white chocolate. Thanks!
So fun, glad to hear you had a great time with the kids making these cookies!
i accidentally bought dark brown sugar? will it make much of a difference? ty
That’s fine to use, dark brown sugar has more molasses in it so they will just have more of the molasses taste and be a bit more moist! Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
they turned out delicious. Mine flattened out nicely, and that’s a Great hack to tap on the counter to get the cracks. I dipped in vanilla melts, but I think next time I will get actual white chocolate.
Your website is a nightmare to use because of all the ads
Sorry to hear this Kelleen, we try to be as helpful as possible with a jump to recipe button at the top so you can skip directly to the recipe.
These turned into super yummy and remind me of the ones my Grandma made years ago. They turned out a bit too thin and next time I will let the dough chill longer. But everyone loved them!
Chilling the dough definitely helps with spread. So glad the cookies brought back such great memories for you!
Perfect amount of spice. Best texture. Loved these so much.
So glad you loved the ginger molasses cookies!
Great recipe!! Always a favourite.
Can you refrigerate the dough overnight?
So glad you love the ginger molasses cookies! Yes, that works just fine to refrigerate the dough overnight.
I am getting ready to try the recipe. The list of ingredients says to use 2.25 cups of flour. However, the instructions state 2 1/2 cups of flour. Which is correct?
Thank you.
Hi! Sorry about that, it should be 2 1/4 cups as instructed in the ingredients! Enjoy!