Soft Molasses Ginger Cookies

Sugar, spice, and everything nice.

A great soft molasses ginger cookie recipe is absolutely essential to holiday baking — and this is it. Easy to make, even easier to eat a whole batch!

Soft Molasses Ginger Cookie Recipe

There are many different kinds of holiday cookies out there, but I think this soft molasses ginger cookie recipe may make my favorite cookie of all. These sweet, gingerbready cookies will fill your kitchen with an amazing baking spice aroma, and especially like the Christmas season to me. But these cookies can — and should — be enjoyed all fall and winter long.

You’ll also like: Slice-and-Bake Butter Cookies and Pecan Pie Toffee Bars

Soft Molasses Ginger Cookie Recipe Notes

These molasses ginger cookies are the soft, chewy kind that goes amazingly well with a glass of milk or cup of tea in the afternoon. They will last for a week to 10 days in an airtight container.

Even though these cookies spread, I recommend rolling them in sugar, crunchy demerara if you have it. The extra step is worth it to create that little bit of crusty surface, and the added sweetness complements the spiciness of the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses.

What’s the Best Molasses to Use for Molasses Ginger Cookies?

I recommend the widely-available Grandma’s Molasses. The brand has a mellow, earthy flavor and pours well. I find other brands, like Brer Rabbit, to be a little too robust.

And a small but mighty pastry pro tip when working with molasses: To measure, grease the measuring cup first, before adding the molasses. That way, it will slip right out of the measuring cup into the batter.

Did you make this holiday ginger cookie recipe? How did it go?

Soft Molasses Ginger Cookies

Sugar, spice, and everything nice comes together in this simple holiday favorite. This molasses ginger cookie is easy to mix and bake, and tastes (and smells!) amazing.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords:: baking, christmas cookies, cookies, dessert, easy, ginger cookies, holiday cookies, molasses

Servings: 36 cookies

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar, plus more to roll the cookies
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 orange, zested (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, brown sugar, and butter until fluffy and lightened. Scrape the bowl. Add the egg, molasses, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest (if using). Beat until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl.
• Add the baking soda and flour and stir on low, just until mixed.
• Fill a small mixing bowl with about a cup of sugar. Scoop about a tablespoon of cookie dough into your hand. Roll to a smooth ball. Roll in sugar, and place on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies, leaving about 2 inches of space between each ball.

  Optional: Use the bottom of a flat glass to gently press each molasses ginger cookie into a fat disk. Not pressing the cookies will make a rounder cookie. Pressing the cookies will make a wider, flatter cookie.
• Bake for 12 minutes, rotating halfway. Let cool on the cookie tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

These molasses ginger cookies will keep for a solid week in an airtight container. I think they're even better a couple of days after you bake them.