Molasses Cookies

5 from 10 votes

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By: Jill Mills Posted: Oct 21, 2025

Warm spices, molasses, and brown sugar give these Molasses Cookies a lovely spiced flavor and soft, chewy texture. A wonderful addition to any holiday cookie tray!

These ginger molasses cookies combine the spiced molasses flavor of classic gingerbread man cookies with the soft, chewy texture of brown sugar cookies. The end result is a super chewy cookie with lots of festive flavor! They’re quick and easy to make and some of the first to disappear from the cookie tray.

Why I Love These Ginger Molasses Cookies

• Soft & chewy. These cookies are crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the center. Using all brown sugar really helps make them super chewy, which I love.
• Warmly spiced. The combination of molasses, brown sugar, and spices like ginger and cinnamon give these cookies a rich, sweet, and warm flavor. It’s almost like biting in an extra chewy gingerbread cookie.
• Great for holidays. I often add these ginger molasses cookies to holiday cookie trays. Not only are they easy to make, they’re full of the warm gingerbread flavors often associated with the holiday season.

Recipe Ingredients

These chewy cookies are made with brown sugar, molasses, and a handful of baking staples and spices. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

• Butter – I like to use unsalted sweet cream butter for these cookies.
• Brown sugar – Using brown sugar instead of white sugar adds to the molasses flavor while making the cookies soft and chewy.
• Molasses – The molasses adds flavor to the cookies in addition to sweetening them.
• Egg – Adds substance to the dough.
• Flour
• Spices – Ground ginger, salt, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon add the warm gingerbread flavor to the cookies.
• Baking soda – Helps keep the chewy texture.
• Sugar – The balls of dough are rolled in regular sugar before baking.

How To Make Molasses Cookies

This dough comes together quickly, but keep in mind that it does need to chill overnight. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

• Make the dough. Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs in molasses. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, and baking soda. Gradually beat them into the wet mixture until thoroughly combined.
• Chill. Cover the dough with plastic. Chill in the fridge overnight.

• Bake. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop balls of dough, using your hands to roll them into a small ball. Roll each dough ball in the white sugar and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Proper Storage

• Room temperature. Ginger molasses cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter. They are best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
• Freezer (baked cookies). Baked cookies can also be frozen once cooled completely. Just place in a Ziploc bag, freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw on the counter before enjoying.
• Freezer (dough). You can also freeze balls of ginger molasses cookie dough. Flash freeze them on a baking sheet then transfer the dough balls to a ziploc bag. Then bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time as needed.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes To Try

• Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Butter Cookies
• Christmas Meringue Cookies
• Church Window Cookies
• Candy Cane Cookies

5 from 10 votes

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Warm spices, molasses, and brown sugar give these Ginger Molasses Cookies a lovely spiced flavor and soft, chewy texture. A wonderful addition to any holiday cookie tray!

Servings: 24 cookies

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 12 minutes mins

Chill Time: 8 hours hrs

Total: 8 hours hrs 27 minutes mins

Print Rate Save Saved!

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 1 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup molasses
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 cup flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 cup sugar

Instructions

• Using a standing mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
• Add the egg and molasses and continue beating until well combined.
• Using a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and baking soda. Gradually beat until combined the dry ingredients into the wet.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and place into the fridge overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a cookie scoop, place the dough in your hand and roll into a ball.
• Pour the 1 cup of sugar into a bowl and roll the cookie dough into the sugar.
• Place the cookie dough balls onto the cookie sheet. Repeat step for the remaining cookie dough.
• Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.

Last Step:

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Notes

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

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