Old-Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies are some of my favorite holiday cookies! Filled with warm spices, they are irresistibly soft!
Baked with crispy edges and a flawless chewy center, they are then finished with a sweet white chocolate drizzle.
This molasses cookie recipe is so easy to make, using simple ingredients you'll already have in your pantry!
They're ready in under 30 minutes, making them the perfect easy Christmas cookies for last-minute holiday baking.
Add these cookies to your holiday season cookie trays, and WOW your friends and family with the chewiest ginger molasses cookies they've ever had!
For more classic cookie inspiration for the holidays, try these delicious Classic Christmas Butter Cookies, these super easy Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies, or these amazing White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Cookies with Cranberries!
Shopping List
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Crisco (Butter Flavored), Egg, Molasses
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Baking Soda, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Salt
Topping. White Chocolate Chips (or White Chocolate Melting Wafers)
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
Make the Cookies
Firstly, preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.
Make sure your ingredients are all at room temperature before you begin, as this will make them easier to mix together.
Butter should be soft by sitting out on the counter for 1 hour. Any longer and it will turn to mush and be too soft.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the Butter and 1 cup of Sugar (200g) together. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure that you're using all the ingredients. Cream until light and fluffy, this will take about 2-3 minutes.
Next, add the Egg and Molasses and continue to cream together. Scrape the sides of the bowl again, as this bit can get sticky.
Then, in a medium bowl, combine the All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Ginger, Cinnamon, and Salt together.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little bit at a time, making sure it's thoroughly mixed before adding any more.
Uniform Cookies
Using a medium-sized #60 Cookie Scoop, scoop cookie dough into cookie dough balls.
Roll the cookie dough balls in the remaining sugar.
Place each sugared cookie dough ball onto a prepared baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches between cookies.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Every oven heats a little differently. It's always best to bake a test batch with just one or two cookies to find the perfect time for your oven.
Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.
White Chocolate Drizzle
In a separate microwave-safe bowl, add the White Chocolate Chips or White Chocolate Melting Wafers.
Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it, then heat it again for an additional 30 seconds. If additional time is needed, microwave it for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
Using a spoon, drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookie, creating stripes.
If you prefer to dip the cookie in the white chocolate that is always a good option too. Dip half the cookie in chocolate and place it on cooling rack to cool.
Allow the chocolate to cool and harden on the cookies before serving or storing them.
Gingerbread cookies, or gingersnap cookies, are generally thinner than molasses cookies, and they have a crispier texture, rather than the chewy texture of molasses cookies. If you love ginger cookies, you'll love these Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies too!
Either light molasses or dark molasses would be great for these cookies. Dark molasses will have a darker color and also a stronger, more distinct flavor.
If you don't have molasses you can substitute 1 cup of molasses for ¾ cup of packed dark brown sugar with ¼ cup of water. Dark brown sugar tastes more like molasses than light brown sugar, but they both make a good substitute.
Baking cookies in a hot oven for a shorter amount of time, rather than on a lower heat for longer, is one of the secrets to truly perfectly chewy cookies. Make sure to check your cookies near the end of the baking time so that you don't overbake them too, as this will dry them out.
Molasses Cookies should be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and will last for up to a week. They are best enjoyed within 2-4 days of being freshly baked.
Yes! To freeze, place a piece of parchment paper between each cookie or wrap them separately in plastic wrap, then store them in an airtight container or in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Substitutions & Variations
- Colors. You can use different colored melting wafers to decorate these cookies. Red and green melted chocolate drizzle (made separately) and added to the cookies in the criss-cross fashion like in the photos will make a sort of festive tartan on top which is great for Christmas time!
- Topping. Use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate to drizzle on top of the cookies, or make icing with powdered sugar instead.
- Fillings. Add white chocolate chips, crushed nuts, or raisins to the cookie dough for added flavor and texture.
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center, crispy edges, and chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for baking. I have used a medium cookie scoop in these photos.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Every oven heats a little differently. I recommend doing a test batch of 1-3 cookies to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining dough.
Cookies.
Cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and the centers are no longer glossy.
Cooling Rack.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least 2 cooling racks
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take 2 batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula are all helpful
Have you tried these Soft Molasses Cookies?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you thought of these soft cookies. It really does help!
More Cookie Recipes for the Holidays
- Candy Cane Blossoms
- Frosted Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Ganache
- Grasshopper Christmas Tree Cookies
- Pistachio Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chirstmas Magic Bars
- Eggnog Cookies with Eggnog Frosting
- Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
- White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies with Cranberries
Soft Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter Softened
- ¼ cup Crisco Butter-Flavored
- 1 ½ cups Sugar 300g Divided
- ¼ cup Molasses
- 1 Egg large
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour 240g
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Cookies
- Heat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or using a stand mixer, cream Butter and 1 cup of Sugar (200g) together. Scrape sides of the bowl as needed until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Molasses and continue to cream together. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- In a medium size bowl combine All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Ginger, Cinnamon, and Salt together.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time mixing thoroughly before adding more flour mixture.
- Using a medium size #60 Cookie Scoop, scoop cookie dough into cookie dough balls.
- Roll cookie dough in remaining sugar and place on parchment lined baking sheet allowing at least 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake at 350 F Degrees for 8-10 minutes
- Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
White Chocolate Drizzle
- In a separate microwaveable safe bowl add white chocolate chips or white chocolate melting wafers.
- Heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate and heat for additional 30 seconds. If additional time is needed add 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
- Using a spoon drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookie creating stripes.
- Allow the chocolate to cool and harden before serving or storing them.
Notes
- Store: Molasses Cookies should be stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and will last for up to a week. They are best enjoyed within 2-4 days of being freshly baked.
- Freeze: To freeze these cookies, place a piece of parchment paper between each cookie and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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