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These chewy ginger molasses cookies are soft, crinkly, and packed with warm spices and rich molasses flavor. They’re perfect holiday cookie!
For more cookie recipes, make my brown butter chai cookies, brown butter snickerdoodle cookies, and bakery style chocolate chip cookies!
If you love a cookie that’s soft in the middle, crinkly on top, and packed with real gingerbread flavor, these chewy molasses cookies are about to become your new favorite.
They’ve got just the right amount of warming spice and bold molasses flavor to take you straight back to sitting in front of the Christmas tree, wrapped in a blanket, watching your favorite movie while the house smells like something magical baking in the oven.
The cozy vibes are truly on ten with these. Every bite tastes like the holidays.
They bake up thick, soft, and perfectly chewy without being too sweet or overwhelming.
This is one of those recipes that feels familiar in the best way, like pulling out handwritten recipe from Grandma that’s been passed down for years. The kind of cookies you make once and then suddenly can’t imagine December without. And the best part? They’re simple enough to whip up anytime the craving hits, long after the tree comes down.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- All-Purpose Flour provides structure and keeps the cookies from spreading too much. It creates that perfect chewy, tender bite.
- Ground Ginger brings bold warmth and that signature ginger flavor. You can use fresh ginger here, just grate it very finely for the best texture.
- Cinnamon adds cozy warmth that balances out the stronger spices.
- Ground Cloves deepens the flavor with rich, slightly smoky notes that make the cookies taste extra nostalgic.
- Nutmeg rounds out the spice blend and adds subtle warmth.
- Black Pepper is a secret flavor booster that enhances the ginger and gives the cookies extra depth without making them spicy.
- Salted Butter (Room Temperature) adds flavor and richness that leads to soft centers and lightly crisp edges.
- Brown Sugar keeps the cookies moist and gives them that chewy interior while adding deep caramel flavor.
- Unsulphured Molasses is the heart of this chewy cookie. It adds bold flavor in conjunction with the warm spices, in addition to moisture for that classic gingerbread taste. If you can find it, use Robust unsulphured molasses. Be sure to avoid blackstrap molasses!
- Egg Yolks create a richer dough and softer texture without drying the cookies out. The key to that tender chew.
Substitutions
- Gluten Free Version: Substitute with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour (make sure it has xanthan gum).
- Substitute ground ginger with fresh grated ginger (use about 3 tablespoon). You can also add in some crystallized ginger for added flavor and texture.
- Black pepper is optional, but highly recommended. Substitute with a pinch of ground cardamom for warmth without heat.
- Substitute molasses with dark corn syrup or honey. Keep in mind, the flavor of the cookies will be lighter and less spiced.
How To Make Ginger Molasses Cookies
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine salted butter and brown sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in molasses. Contiue to mix until combined, about 1 minute, then add in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides again to ensure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine all purpose flour, baking soda, spices, and kosher salt. Whisk together and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Step 3: Use a medium sized cookie or ice cream scoop (about 2 tbsp) to scoop out the cookies and place onto a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerate for 1 hour to chill.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add turbinado sugar to a small bowl. Roll each cookie in the sugar.
Step 5: Bake about 6-7 cookie dough balls at a time, spacing 2 inches apart, for 9-11 minutes.
Step 6: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Baking Tips
- Use room temperature butter (not melty). Soft butter creams properly. Melted butter gives you cookies that spread like gossip!
- Don’t skip the chill. An hour in the fridge firms up the butter and lets the flour hydrate, giving you thicker cookies with better flavor and less spread.
- Weigh or spoon-and-level flour. Too much flour yields dry cookies, too little flour and the cookies will spread into puddles. For best results, measure out the ingredients with a kitchen scale (I provide the gram measurements in the recipe card).
- Molasses matters. Use robust unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s). Avoid Blackstrap molasses, it’s bitter and too intense for cookies.
- Pull them when the centers look just the slightest bit underbaked! They’ll finish cooking from carryover heat on the pan. Don’t overbake!
Recipe FAQs
Use robust unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s brand) for the best flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, it’s much more bitter and can overpower the cookies.
Molasses is what gives these cookies their signature flavor and soft interior. If you’re in a pinch, you can substitute dark corn syrup or honey, but the result won’t taste quite the same.
Flat cookies usually mean your butter was too soft or melted, or your dough wasn’t chilled long enough. For thick, chewy ginger molasses cookies, make sure your butter is room temperature (not greasy) and chill the dough for at least 60 minutes before baking. Too much sugar or expired leavening agents can also cause excess spreading.
Yes! This dough freezes beautifully. Scoop the dough into balls, place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until firm (about 1 hour). Then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
More Cookie Recipes
Desserts
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Christmas and Holiday Recipes
Snowflake Cookies
Desserts
Cinnamon Cookies
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups (168 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (165 g) Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup (170 g) Robust Unsulphured Molasses, (I used Grandma's brand)
- 2 (36 g) Egg Yolks
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp (1/8 tsp) Ground Cloves
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- Turbinado Sugar, (for rolling the cookies)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine salted butter and brown sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in molasses. 3/4 cups Salted Butter 3/4 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Robust Unsulphured Molasses
- Continue to mix until combined, about 1 minute, then add in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides again to ensure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. 2 Egg Yolks 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine all purpose flour, baking soda, spices, and kosher salt. Whisk together and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tbsp Ground Ginger 2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves 1/8 tsp Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- Use a medium sized cookie or ice cream (about 2 tbsp) to scoop out the cookies and place onto a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerate for 1 hour to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add turbinado sugar to a small bowl. Roll each cookie in the sugar. Turbinado Sugar
- Bake about 6 cookies at a time, spacing 2 inches apart, for 9-11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter (not melty). Soft butter creams properly. Melted butter gives you cookies that spread like gossip!
- Don’t skip the chill. An hour in the fridge firms up the butter and lets the flour hydrate, giving you thicker cookies with better flavor and less spread.
- Weigh or spoon-and-level flour. Too much flour yields dry cookies, too little flour and the cookies will spread into puddles. For best results, measure out the ingredients with a kitchen scale (I provide the gram measurements in the recipe card).
- Molasses matters. Use robust unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s). Avoid Blackstrap molasses, it’s bitter and too intense for cookies.
- Pull them when the centers look just the slightest bit underbaked! They’ll finish cooking from carryover heat on the pan. Don’t overbake!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
