Soft & Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles — These soft molasses cookies taste like a cross between chewy gingerbread cookies and crinkly snickerdoodles. An unbeatable holiday cookie recipe!
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 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, creating a very well-spiced cookie that packs tons of flavor in a pillowy, crinkly little package.
The cookies are super soft in the center with slight chewiness around the edges, and I always underbake slightly to ensure they 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’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
- Vanilla extract
- Spices
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
To make these ginger molasses cookies, you first need to cream together the butter, sugars, and egg. Add in the remaining wet ingredients and the spices, then mix in the dry ingredients.
Scoop the molasses cookie dough into balls, then chill for at least 3 hours before baking. Once chilled, roll the cookie dough in a generous amount of cinnamon sugar.
Bake the soft molasses cookies until the edges have set and the tops 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).
Can I Omit the Cornstarch?
If you need to omit the cornstarch due to an allergy, that’s fine. Your molasses cookies won’t be quite as soft, but they should be delicious regardless.
Can I Omit the Cream of Tartar?
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.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
I’ve only made these soft molasses cookies as written, so I’m not sure if you can make these with a gluten-free flour blend. If you try it out, please leave me a comment below letting me know how they turn out.
Tips for Making Soft Molasses Cookies
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.
Also note that if you prefer more mildly spiced cookies, you can halve the amounts of all spices used.
The dough is very soft and must be chilled before baking because chilled dough spreads less in the oven. Chilling also gives the flavors time to marry and the dough tastes better on the second or third day after it’s made. You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days before baking.
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Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles
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.
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!
can you use blackstrap molasses if that is what’s in your pantry? will they be too pungent to enjoy?
Yes I would just go with it, times are tough right now, go with what you have in the pantry.
How much is 1/2 cup of butter and sugar?
If you’re looking for grams, just Google what you need, or whatever measurement/metric you’re trying to convert into.
I liked the spices used in this recipe so I decided to give it a try. I’m kind of new to baking. Starting late in life. I don’t have a lot of experience so I’m still making mistakes.
I think I made the cookies too large. (not when it come to eating them though) I ended up with 13 cookies.
I had a problem of the cookies being too gooey inside so I baked them longer. I ended up with burnt bottoms. I think the problem was with my pans. They are dark and I think they absorbed too much radiant heat from the bottom element. Next time I will use aluminum (light) pans.
I ended up scraping the overbaked bottoms and all turned out fine. I liked the ingredient list when I saw it and I was right that I would like the taste eating them.
I liked the spices used in this recipe so I decided to give it a try. I’m kind of new to baking. Starting late in life. I don’t have a lot of experience so I’m still making mistakes.
I think I made the cookies too large. (not when it come to eating them though) I ended up with 13 cookies.
I had a problem of the cookies being too gooey inside so I baked them longer. I ended up with burnt bottoms. I think the problem was with my pans. They are dark and I think they absorbed too much radiant heat from the bottom element. Next time I will use aluminum (light) pans.
I ended up scraping the overbaked bottoms and all turned out fine. I liked the ingredient list when I saw it and I was right that I would like the taste eating them.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that overall you enjoyed the cookies.
If you make the cookies too big, the centers will still be soft/raw/gooey and the bottoms will burn before the centers cook through. Make them smaller next time and you will avoid all of that.
And yes, invest in even a $20 baking pan from your grocery store, bed bath beyond, amazon, etc. and it will make a world of difference and buy a Silpat, KEY FOR COOKIES!! https://amzn.to/2suz4Ra
Our favorite cookie! Loved it – can’t wait to try more of yours!!
Our favorite cookie! Loved it – can’t wait to try more of yours!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this is your favorite cookie!
Yum! These are such a great Christmas classic!
Paige
https://thehappyflammily.com
That is for sure!
This has been my favorite fall cookie recipe going on three years now. So many happy mouths have munched on this delightful cookie. They come out chewy and flavorful! If your looking for a perfect ginger cookie recipe, you no further. You won’t regret it!
Question to baker. Do you sift your flower? I have tried both ways and feel my cookies come out “fuller” if I omit sifting…
Thanks again for this recipe!
This has been my favorite fall cookie recipe going on three years now. So many happy mouths have munched on this delightful cookie. They come out chewy and flavorful! If your looking for a perfect ginger cookie recipe, you no further. You won’t regret it!
Question to baker. Do you sift your flower? I have tried both ways and feel my cookies come out “fuller” if I omit sifting…
Thanks again for this recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that these have been your favorite fall cookies for years now!
I never sift anything. Don’t have the patience :)
Great cookies! Enjoyed by all at a party. Instead of preforming cookies and chilling them, I just chilled dough for the recommended 3 hr and then scooped them onto cookie sheets prior to baking. worked fine.
Thanks for the five star review and glad they worked out great for you that way!
Great recipe. Reblogged at https://sweetjumbles.com/2017/12/30/gingerdoodles/
Thanks for trying the recipe!
Hi Averie, I looked through the comments and didn’t see this question, if I missed it I apologize. These cookies were the absolute hit of my holiday baking last year, so thank you SO much! I’m at a lack of refrigerator and freezer space this year due to a move so am wondering when making the dough ahead can it be made ahead several days but wait to be scooped and sugared until the day of baking? Thanks for all of your amazing recipes that help to make me more confident in my cooking adventures. Blessings. ??
I would try to scoop it right after you make it because if you refrigerate a big bowl of it and it hardens, it will be like trying to chisel out a rock after a few days. If you left it come to room temp before scooping, that defeats the point of chilled dough. Just being honest so that you have a great result!
Thank you so much for your prompt and great advise. No one wants to go to the effort to make something, be excited to eat/serve to guests, and have less then best results. We see it in comments all the time. No one can exactally replicate the environment in your kitchen, but by making sure we understand fully your methods we can get our best shot. I really appreciate it!
You’re welcome and enjoy the cookies! :)
These were some of my favorite cookies ever. Thanks for the recipe! Do you have a similar chocolate chip cookie recipe? The soft and chewy texture was so perfect – that is what I always want in my chocolate chip cookies but I haven’t ever had it work out!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! https://www.averiecooks.com/2016/11/easy-soft-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html If you scroll down and look at all the Related Recipes, there are dozens of awesome choc chip cookies recipes. They are ALL SOFT AND CHEWY. I don’t make/post about hard or dry cookies. LMK what you go with!
This molasses ginger doodle cookie recipe is brilliant! I made the dough last night and am baking the cookies this morning for my husband to take to work. He is my taste tester because I am allergic to sugar and he pronounced the taste “incredible “! I knew they would be, just from the aroma filling my kitchen. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipe and merry Christmas!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And I am so sorry you are allergic to sugar…OMG!!
I baked these yesterday and they taste delicious but I’m just wondering if there’s such a thing as too raw? After about 9 minutes they were pretty raw in the middle while the edges were set and very tall is this normal?
For me raw cookie dough is a delicacy but to each their own.
If you want them less raw, cook a bit longer or in your case flatten the dough mounds a bit more before baking since you said they were tall.
Glad they taste delicious!
Thanks Averie!
When you made the cookies, did you leave them as full round balls when putting it in the oven or flatten them a little bit?
I flatten them a little bit, not quite halfway, but somewhat.