Chewy Molasses Cookies

These Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies are a sweet, slightly salty, and ginger-spiced masterpiece. They always remind me of special treats my mom used to make for us. My maternal Grandfather grew up in Pennsylvania and loved molasses cookies- my mom used to make them for us as a way to remember her dad.

At Ajpal, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

Chewy Delicious Molasses Cookies

In winter they are divine with cocoa or hot cider- and in summer they shine with a tall, cool glass of milk. Not only are these cookies incredibly delicious, they also make your house smell amazing.

Chewy Molasses Cookies Ingredients

To make these cookies we will need:

• Butter (1 1/2 cups, softened): Butter is a key ingredient that adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the cookies. It also contributes to their tender texture and buttery taste.
• Granulated Sugar (1 cup): Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and provides structure. It helps create a chewy texture by retaining moisture during baking.
• Brown Sugar (1 cup): Brown sugar, with its molasses content, enhances the depth of flavor in the cookies. It also contributes to their chewiness and moistness.
• Molasses (1/2 cup): Molasses is the star ingredient in these cookies. It not only adds a rich, deep flavor but also contributes to their distinctive chewiness. Molasses is responsible for the cookies’ classic taste.
• Eggs (2): Eggs serve as a binding agent, helping to hold the cookie dough together. They also add moisture and structure to the cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour (4 cups): Flour is the main dry ingredient that provides structure and thickness to the cookies. It’s essential for achieving the desired cookie texture.
• Baking Soda (4 tsp.): Baking soda acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies rise and spread during baking. It also contributes to their chewy texture.
• Ground Cinnamon (2 tsp.): Cinnamon adds warmth and a pleasant spice flavor to the cookies. It complements the molasses and other spices, enhancing the overall taste.
• Ground Cloves (1 tsp.): Cloves provide a hint of spiciness and contribute to the cookies’ aromatic and slightly pungent flavor profile.
• Ground Ginger (1 tsp.): Ginger adds a gentle spiciness and warmth to the cookies. It enhances the overall complexity of flavors.
• Sea Salt (1 1/2 tsp.): Sea salt balances the sweetness of the sugars and spices while enhancing the flavors. It’s essential for achieving a well-rounded taste in the cookies.

Steps to Make Molasses Cookies

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, use this process:

Prep

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer), beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the eggs and molasses, and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and beat together until combined.

Shape

Roll the dough into 1″ diameter balls.Pour 1/4 cup of granulated sugar onto a shallow dish, and roll cookie balls in sugar to completely coat.

Bake

Place on cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart, and bake for about 8-10 minutes. Cookies will crack at the top, and the centers will still be a bit gooey.

Cool and Enjoy

Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes to firm slightly (if you move them too quickly off the baking sheet, they will fall apart), and then let cool completely or serve warm. Cookies last up to one week in an airtight container.

Tips and Tricks for perfect Chewy Molasses Cookies

Roll dough into balls and place on baking sheets. I like to chill the entire baking sheet with cookies before baking.

Don’t overwork the dough. Using a stand mixer bowl, beat dough to mix but don’t overwork. Beat in eggs and wet ingredients well into a large bowl, but after adding in flour be careful to not overwork cookie dough.

For extra crunchy cookies, roll in sugar before baking. For mess-free sugar rolling, add ¼ cup sugar to a 1 cup measuring cup and roll cookie dough balls in the cup, which will help to prevent sugar from flying everywhere.

Let Cookies Rest. Sometimes it takes a minute for chewy cookies to “set” – so don’t despair if it doesn’t look like it turned out perfect right out of the oven.

Twist it up. For a fun twist, try adding up to 1 cup of chocolate chips, 2 tbsp of orange zest, or top with royal icing!

How To Tell When Molasses Cookies Are Done: Molasses cookies can be hard to tell when they are done, especially since these cookies are soft and chewy – and molasses cookies are brown to start off with, so it’s harder to watch for light browning on the edges. If you watch for the sides and bottoms to become brown, like you would for a sugar cookie, you’ll likely overcook the cookies by quite a bit. You can tell if your cookies are done by checking to see if the edges are a bit crunchy. To test if your cookies are done, you can gently nudge the sides with a spatula or gently press the edges to test the firmness. You might see a little brownness on the edges.

How To Freeze Molasses Cookies: Freezing molasses cookies is super simple with these tips – so if you’d like to bake a bunch of christmas cookies ahead of time, or you can’t get through a big batch you’ve made, you can pop them in the freezer to enjoy a fresh and delicious chewy molasses cookie anytime!

Freeze Pre-Rolled Cookie Dough: For best results, cookies should be frozen from dough in pre-rolled balls of dough. Lay a piece of parchment paper or wax/freezer paper on a baking sheet and place cookie dough balls on top. Freeze dough balls until “set” – about 2-3 hours. Remove balls from baking sheet and place in airtight freezer bag and place in freezer for up to four months. To thaw, place in refrigerator and let come to temp for a few hours or overnight. Bake as called for below.

Freeze Baked Cookies: To freeze cookies that have been baked, there are a couple of tips and tricks to make sure you have perfect, delicious, and chewy cookies anytime you’d like them! Let cookies cool completely on wire racks after baking. When frozen properly, these cookies will last up to four months in the freezer. Let thaw naturally in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight.

How To Make Molasses Cookies Soft: Soft, chewy molasses cookies are one of my favorite Christmas desserts – they taste like gingerbread, only chewy and soft instead of crunchy. To make these molasses cookies chewy, instead of crunchy, there are a couple of different tips and tricks for chewy cookies. Reduce the spread of your cookies, making them puffier and chewier. As cookies spread when they bake, they become thinner and crisp up more. To prevent spreading, follow my helpful tips below:

• Chill cookies for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
• Use shortening instead of butter.
• Butter has a lower melting point, making it perfect for cookies that you would like to crisp up when baking for a buttery crunch.
• Using shortening will help cookies from spreading more and give a softer cookie.

Molasses Cookies FAQs

Use unsulphured or mild molasses; avoid blackstrap molasses, which can be too bitter and overpowering.

Chilling isn’t required, but a short chill (30–60 minutes) can help control spreading and deepen flavor.

Can I freeze molasses cookie dough?

Absolutely—rolling in granulated or coarse sugar adds a sweet crunch and classic sparkle.

Too much flour or overbaking can lead to a cakey texture instead of chewy.

What to Serve with Chewy Molasses Cookies

Try my iced Christmas tree cookies, melted snowman cookies, or reindeer popcornnext!

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