Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies – These molasses cookies are an old-fashioned holiday favorite! Super soft and packed with the amazing, rich flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. Just like Grandma used to make!
This recipe was originally posted on November 8, 2017! The recipe stays the same and most people have had great success with it. The reason I am revamping and republishing this is that I have written a more thorough post to answer readers questions!
What do Molasses Cookies Taste Like?
Molasses cookies have a very distinct spice flavor. This comes from the use of ground cinnamon and ginger, as well as the rich flavor of dark molasses. They taste somewhat like a gingersnap cookie, however, they are more subtle and soft instead of crisp.
How to Make Molasses Cookies:
- Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. You will want to line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for best results. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use non-stick cooking spray.
- You can use a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this recipe.
- Start by beating together your butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and molasses until well combined. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, you can add your flour, baking soda, salt, and spices right into the mixer and mix just for about 1 minute until the dough comes together.
- Shape your dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 inches. You can do this with your hands, a Tablespoon measure, or a cookie scoop. Whatever is easier for you!
- Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar and then place on the baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- These cookies will bake for 13-15 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven you will want to scoop them up with a spatula and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
There aren’t a ton of tips for making these cookies because they are so very simple, but let’s talk about a few things I do to make them their very best!
Tips and Tricks for Making Molasses Cookies:
- Make sure you are using DARK MOLASSES for this recipe. Light molasses won’t be flavorful enough, while blackstrap molasses is too bitter.
- Use butter instead of shortening. The old version of this recipe uses shortening. I’m personally not a fan and much prefer the taste of butter, and I also think the cookies come out even softer this way.
- I omit ground cloves because the flavor always seems to overpower the cookies and it’s just my preference. If you love that clove flavor, feel free to add a pinch right in!
- Don’t let these overbake. These always take exactly 13 minutes in my oven. Since oven times vary I suggest checking them at 13 minutes in and then baking for another minute or two if necessary. They should look slightly wet when you take them out of the oven.
These molasses cookies come out perfect! Slightly crisp around the edges with a super soft, melt in your mouth, center! You’re going to love them!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
If you’re looking for other great cookie recipes definitely try my Soft Batch Sprinkle Cookies and my Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies!
Don’t forget to follow along with me on my Facebook Page! We are always sharing yummy food!
Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Butter, Softened
- 1/4 Cup Dark Molasses
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar, For Rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or non stick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the brown sugar, butter, molasses, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- Shape the dough by rounded tablespoon fulls into 1 1/2 inch balls. Dip the cookies into the granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes just until set. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These cookies are delicious. You nailed it! Thanks for sharing.
Made them as per directions and they came out perfect. Thank you for the great recipe.
Great cookie recipe. Changed the spices. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 ginger. Once I placed my cookies on my sheet pans I placed them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Baked at 325’ 13 minutes rotated the cookie sheets half way through the baking time. Came out perfect
I did not have any butyet so I used margarine it bake up great just chilled them for a hour in the frige
Amazing recipe! Thank you. Followed exactly and they turned out great. I will definitely be making these again
Delicious! I added clove and ginger to my recipe . Also, I decided black strap molasses with reg molasses used 1/3 cup. Chilled dough for 30 mins. I am saving this recipe. Yummy!
I’ve made these 4 times now and they are wonderful.
I follow the directions as you’ve given them and my grown boys love them as do I.
A glass of milk and these cookies are perfect on a gray & drizzly day or any day at all.
Thank you.
Just tried your recipe. Thank you for sharing. They came out wonderful.
Follow the recipe as written and baked for 10 minutes, the cookies were perfect. This recipe is a keeper!!!
A favourite for everyone I’ve made them for…and me too!