The BEST Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies!

Soft, chewy and irresistible, these ginger molasses cookies with crinkly tops are the perfect holiday treat! It requires no equipment to make and the dough comes together in minutes!

ginger molasses cookies

Get Printable Recipe

About This Recipe

If you’ve never had ginger molasses cookies before, you’re definitely missing out! It’s basically like a chewy and “chocolate chip cookie” version of a gingerbread cookie. Only it’s way easier to make and if chewy cookies are you thing you are going to absolutely devour these ginger molasses cookies!

Crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, has the perfect amount of ginger without being to overpowering, the molasses gives these cookies a deep, rich flavor and the hint of clove and cinnamon just ties all the flavors together! Their taste is truly indescribable, you have to try them for yourself.

This ginger molasses cookies recipe requires no fancy ingredients or equipment and is beginner-friendly. Plus these cookies are perfect for those of you who prefer non-chocolate cookies, to which I will not ever be able to relate because I believe there is nothing better in this world(of food) than chocolate :)! Nevertheless, these ginger molasses cookies are on top of my favorites list of cookies!

What You Need To Make Ginger Molasses Cookies

Molasses: I used “original” unsulphured or dark molasses, also sold as “robust” molasses (What is unsulphured molasses?).

Butter: use softened or partially melted(melt until only some of the butter is melted and the rest becomes softened) unsalted butter.

Sugars: using a combination of both white and brown sugar makes the perfect ginger molasses cookies!- Brown sugar makes the cookies chewy, while the white sugar helps the cookies spread. You’ll also need some granulated sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in.

Baking Soda: the secret to soft and chewy cookies, rather than cakey cookies.

Egg: this is a binding agent, make sure the egg is at room temperature for the best results.

Salt: adding this tad bit of salt really helps to balance the sweetness of the cookies and brings out the deep ginger flavor.

Spices: you definitely need ground ginger, cuz what’s a ginger molasses cookie without ginger right? Clove and cinnamon are optional, but I would highly recommend you not skip them, although very small in quantity the amount of flavor they bring to the cookies is huge!

How To Make Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Step 1: Place the (cold) butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until some of the butter is melted and the rest becomes softened. If the butter hasn’t melted enough (see pic below), microwave for another 10-15 seconds. In a large bowl combine the partially melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream together with a whisk until pale and creamy, this takes 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Add in the molasses and egg and whisk to combine. The mixture may look curdled at this pinot, but totally okay, when the flour is added all the ingredients will incorporate into each other.

Step 3: Add in the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Fold using a spatula until fully combined.

Step 4: Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight, yes you can make this cookie dough ahead of time!

Step 5: Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookies dough into a bowl with some granulated sugar. Roll the cookie dough ball to cover with the granulated sugar( this cookie dough is slightly sticky, but when coated with sugar it can easily be moved around) . Place the coated balls on a parchment lined baking tray at least 2 inches apart. Repeat this process until all of the cookie dough is used up.

Step 6: Bake the ginger molasses cookies in an oven preheated at 180 °C / 350 °F for 12-15 minutes. The tops will crack slightly while they bake, but the cookies will crack more after they are removed from the oven as well. Once baked let the cookies cool completely on the baking tray or transfer to a wire rack after 5 minutes. All you have to do now is dig in!

Storing/Freezing The Ginger Molasses Cookies

Store any leftovers-if any- in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days. You will be surprised to see that these cookies stay soft and chewy for days!

To freeze the cookie dough: scoop the chilled cookie dough on to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. Then transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and bake as usual.

To freeze baked cookies: wrap the baked ginger molasses cookies in a layer of aluminum foil then store in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and microwave for 30 second to warm up the cookie if you’d like.

Pro Tips

  • Don’t overbake the cookies, when the cook time is over the cookies will look undone and have few cracks on them, that’s exactly how they should look. The cookies will finish cooking and more cracks will appear while they sit on the baking tray for a few minutes.
  • Measure you flour correctly! Adding too much or too little flour will change the texture of the cookies dramatically. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off using the back of the spoon
  • Top the warm baked cookies with some flaky sea salt for and extra kick of flavor!
  • If you have a convection oven (oven with a fan setting), reduce the temperature by 20 degrees.
  • Take these cookies to the next level by topping them off with a molasses frosting! (Here’s a recipe I found *not mine!)
  •  Chilling the cookie dough is mandatory in this recipe otherwise the cookies will spread way too much. Cold dough results in a thicker cookie, so make sure to chill the dough for at least 1 hour. You can also make the cookie dough the day before and refrigerate overnight.
  • I only added 2 additional spices along with the ground ginger because I wanted the flavor of ginger to be the strongest, but if you’d like you can also add other spices like, nutmeg and cardamon.

FAQ’s

Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the cookie dough 2-3 days ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. It might be a little hard when it comes out of the fridge, so let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften it up a bit. Then shape and bake them the same way.

Can I add different spices into the cookie dough that are not in the recipe?

I’d recommend you only add the spices mentioned in the recipe, but if you do decide to add others like nutmeg or cardamon, add very little so it does not overpower the ginger, the star of this cookie!

Can I make this recipe in a stand mixer?

If you have one go for it! You can also use a hand mixer instead. I made this recipe by hand so that everyone can enjoy these delicious ginger molasses cookies! Partially melting the butter really makes it easy to cream the butter and sugars by hand, I can confidently say it’s no fuss at all, in fact I’d rather make this by hand rather than use my electric mixers.

What’s the difference between gingerbread cookies and ginger molasses cookies?

Gingerbread cookies generally thinner and have a crispier texture, while some can also be soft and cakey. But these ginger molasses cookies are soft and chewy and have the same texture as a chocolate chip cookie. Another difference is that gingerbread cookies are made by rolling out the cookie dough and cutting out shapes, while these cookies have a wetter batter that’s rolled in sugar before being baked.

Chewy ginger molasses cookies

Check out my YouTube Channel for more delicious recipe tutorials! Made one of my recipes? Tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations!

Recipe Card

The Best Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

ginger molasses cookies

Soft, chewy and irresistible, these ginger molasses cookies with crinkly tops are the perfect holiday treat! It requires no equipment to make and the dough comes together in minutes!

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 12 min

Total Time: 1 hour 27min (includes chill time)

Course: Dessert

Servings: 16 cookies

Calories: 193kcal

— Print Recipe —

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170g)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65g)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed (118g)
  • 1/4 cup molasses (60ml)
  • 1 large egg, room temp
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (230g)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ginger, ground
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1/2 tsp cloves, ground
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Additional Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp granulated sugar, to coat cookies

Instructions

  1. Place the (cold) butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until some of the butter is melted and the rest becomes softened. If the butter hasn’t melted enough (see pic above), microwave for another 10-15 seconds.
  2. In a large bowl combine the partially melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns pale and creamy.
  3. Add in the molasses and egg, whisk to combine. At this point the mixture might look grainy, this is totally normal so keep going.
  4. Sift in the all purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground clove and salt. Fold everything together using a spatula until fully combined.
  5. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F, and line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.
  7. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into a small bowl with granulated sugar. Roll the cookie dough ball around to cover it with sugar. Then place on the prepared tray. Repeat this step until all the cookie dough is finished.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, the cookies will only crack slightly in the oven, they will develop more cracks as they cool. Once baked, cool the cookies completely before serving.
  9. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 192.78kcal

Total Fat: 8.55g

Carbs: 27.8g

Sugars: 17.11g

Protein: 1.89g

Sodium: 125.02mg

Fiber: 0.5g


** Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more. **

Watch Video Tutorial

More Cookie Recipes For You To Try!

Chewy Date & Dark Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies

Follow The Food Flamingo

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top