Chewy & Soft Molasses Cookies — 🎄❤️ 🍪These gingerdoodle cookies taste like a cross between chewy gingerbread cookies and crinkly snickerdoodles. An unbeatable holiday cookie recipe!
Table of Contents
Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe
I combined three favorite cookies into one — soft molasses cookies, chewy gingerbread cookies, and crinkly snickerdoodles. That way I didn’t have to choose among my favorites, because I love them all. And I loved these ginger molasses cookies more than I should have. I couldn’t keep myself away from them.
I used my recipes for Soft Molasses Coconut Oil Crinkle Cookies and The Best Snickerdoodles as the jumping-off point. I absolutely adore soft molasses cookies that have rich, deep, bold molasses flavor and the cookies deliver. The molasses flavor profile dominates.
There’s plenty of cinnamon, ginger, and warming spices in the dough as well as a cinnamon-sugar coating. The combination creates a very well-spiced cookie that packs tons of flavor in a pillowy, crinkly little package.
This gingerdoodles cookies recipe is super soft in the center with slight chewiness around the edges, and I always underbake slightly to ensure the cookies stay soft for days. If you like crunchier cookies, bake them longer.
The flavor of the cookies improves and enhances in the day or two after baking. Everything just blends together beautifully, but it’s very hard for me to save any that long. They’re my new favorite molasses cookies.
What Readers Are Saying
It’s not just me who’s raving about this recipe. Take a look at what readers are saying, too! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I didn’t change anything and the cookies came out perfectly–crunchy edges and very soft middle. I wanted one more cookie recipe before Christmas and this was it! Thanks, Averie. – Kathy
Kathy
Hands down some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Made them this afternoon. I’ve made countless cookie recipes from your site and they never let me down!
Madeleine
I made these today and my husband only ate 4 while they were still warm. HAHA!! He really liked them.
Charlotte
What’s in Soft Molasses Cookies?
To make these soft and chewy molasses cookies, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Dark brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Unsulphered molasses – I used dark molasses in these soft and chewy molasses cookies because I really love the intensity of it, but use your favorite. I think blackstrap molasses would be too strong, though
- Vanilla extract
- Spices
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
These cookies do require chilling. So, it’s important to plan ahead, but as long as you do so, they come together easily. Here’s an overview of the process:
- Cream the butter, sugars, and egg in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat in the remaining wet ingredients before adding the dry ingredients.
- Portion the dough into mounds, and chill for at least 3 hours. Do not bake unchilled dough!
- Roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar. I like to double-dip each mound, rolling the dough in the coating twice to get an extra thick coating. B
- Arrange on a silpat mat or parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake until the edges are set and the tops have cracked. I prefer extra soft cookies and only bake for about 8 minutes, but feel free to bake longer if you prefer crispier cookies. Just be careful not to overbake, keeping in mind that they continue to harden as they set and cool.
- Cool on the baking sheet completely, and enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storage
Baked Cookies: Once cool, you can transfer baked molasses gingerdoodles to an airtight container or ziplock bag, and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week, Or, freeze them for up to 6 months.
Unbaked Cookie Dough: Store unbaked dough wrapped in plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe FAQs
If you need to omit the cornstarch due to an allergy, that’s fine. Your soft molasses cookies won’t be quite as soft, but they should be delicious regardless.
Probably not if you want them to have a great pillowy texture. I have only made them as written though and cannot say for sure what will happen if you omit it.
I’ve only made these soft molasses cookies as written. So, I can’t say for sure. However, readers have had success with gluten-free flour. For the best results, I recommend using a food scale or the spoon and level method when measuring.
Yes, if you prefer more mildly spiced cookies, you can halve the amounts of all spices used.
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Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer Fitted with a Paddle Attachment
- 1 (2 inch) Medium Cookie Scoop
- 1 Small Bowl
- 2 Baking Sheets
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed (light brown sugar may be substituted)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup unsulphered molasses, I used robust molasses (dark; light or medium may be used; blackstrap will likely be too pungent)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
For the Cookies
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, optional salt, and beat on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cream of tartar, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 45 seconds.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form two tablespoon mounds (I made 20). Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. The dough is soft, mushy, limp, and isn’t suitable for baking until it’s been chilled. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line baking sheets with Silpats, or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- Add sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Roll each mound of dough through the coating, liberally coating all sides. After all mounds have been coated, I like to go back and double-dip each mound to get an extra-thick coating.
- Place coated mounds on baking sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are have crackled; don’t overbake for soft cookies (I bake mine 8 to 8 1/2 minutes and they’re extremely soft and a touch underdone but firm up in time; for crispier cookies, bake longer). Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Notes
- Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
- Adapted from Soft Molasses Coconut Oil Crinkle Cookies and The Best Snickerdoodles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Molasses Recipes:
25 Holiday Cookie Favorites — The tried-and-true favorites are all here! If you need a holiday cookie recipe, this collection has you covered!
Soft Molasses Coconut Oil Crinkle Cookies — No butter, no problem. One of my favorite molasses cookie recipes!
Molasses Triple Chocolate Cookies – Chocolate is used three times for a fun twist on the traditional. No mixer required!
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chip Bars — Rich, chocolaty & like eating a piece of molasses fudge!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies — Between the molasses, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin pie spice extract that I used, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies beautifully showcase the flavors of fall!
Chocolate Gingerbread Toffee Cake – An EASY, no mixer cake that’s perfect for the holidays! Chocolate and ginger are amazing together! The GINGER spiced whipped cream is the literal icing on this cake!
Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting – Gingerbread bars are so much FASTER AND EASIER than making gingerbread cookies! The sprinkles and tangy cream cheese frosting will put everyone in a festive mood!
Originally published December 2014 and republished December 2019 with updated text.
Love this recipe
I didn’t change anything and the cookies came out perfectly–crunchy edges and very soft middle. I wanted one more cookie recipe before Christmas and this was it! I loved the idea of scooping them into balls overnight and popping them in the oven the next day. Since I just found you this is the second recipe I’ve tried. Looking forward to many more. Thanks, Averie.
Kathy
I didn’t change anything and the cookies came out perfectly–crunchy edges and very soft middle. I wanted one more cookie recipe before Christmas and this was it! I loved the idea of scooping them into balls overnight and popping them in the oven the next day. Since I just found you this is the second recipe I’ve tried. Looking forward to many more. Thanks, Averie.
Kathy
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad my cookie recipe came in handy for you at the last minute. Merry Christmas!
I made the chewy molasses cookies with gluten free flour and also by the regular recipe so I could compare. I found the gluten free dough was much thicker than the regular dough. I could not tell a lot of difference in the taste. Both tasted good and chewey.
I made the chewy molasses cookies with gluten free flour and also by the regular recipe so I could compare. I found the gluten free dough was much thicker than the regular dough. I could not tell a lot of difference in the taste. Both tasted good and chewey.
Thanks for the five star review and for recounting the difference that you found between the gluten-free and regular versions. I’m sure it’s something that they put in the gluten-free flour that caused them to be thicker.
I made these today and my husband only ate 4 while they were still warm. HAHA!! He really liked them.
It is a very sticky soft dough so it does need a few hours in the fridge. I actually put the whole bowl in the fridge for a couple hours. It was too sticky to make cookie balls without chilling it. I got 25 cookies.
I made these today and my husband only ate 4 while they were still warm. HAHA!! He really liked them.
It is a very sticky soft dough so it does need a few hours in the fridge. I actually put the whole bowl in the fridge for a couple hours. It was too sticky to make cookie balls without chilling it. I got 25 cookies.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that your husband had 4 right away!
I made these and substituted Chinese five spice for the nutmeg and cloves. So good!
I made these and substituted Chinese five spice for the nutmeg and cloves. So good!
I made these and substituted Chinese five spice for the nutmeg and cloves. So good!
I bet Chinese Five Spice would be excellent in these. I’ll have to give that a try myself!
great
Hands down some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Made them this afternoon. I’ve made countless cookie recipes from your site and they never let me down!