Delicious And Simple Molasses Cookies
Warm flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg are swirled through these ultra-soft molasses cookies. These old-fashioned cookies are the perfect treat to cozy up with on a cool day.
Just like grandma used to make these molasses cookies will bring you back to childhood. With the tastiest flavor blend of warming spices, buttery cookie, and a delicious sugary taste, these cookies will be gobbled up in no time.
Made in just 35 minutes you can use these classic cookies as a thoughtful holiday gift or hoard them all to yourself. Soft yet chewy you can even adjust the taste of these molasses cookies based on how much of each seasoning you add.
This cookie recipe is such a perfect indulgence that it will soon become a family tradition.
Ingredients For the Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup molasses
Ingredients For Rolling:
- 1/3 cup white or organic sugar
Preparation time:
Total Time: 35-45 minutes
Dough Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking: 15 minutes
Cooling on the Baking Sheet: 5 minutes
Cooling on the Wire Rack: 15 minutes
Serves: 14 cookies
Instructions For Making Molasses Cookies:
1- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy and smooth.
3- Add Egg Yolk and Molasses: Add the egg yolk and molasses to the butter and sugar mixture, and beat until well combined.
4- Add Dry Ingredients: In the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
5- Form Cookies: Using a spoon, scoop portions of dough and form them into balls. Roll each ball in white or organic sugar.
6- Baking: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
7- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations and Substitutions
Coating: For an extra treat, roll the cookie balls in cinnamon sugar before you bake them.
Crunch: If you want a bit of crunch added to the mix, roll the dough balls in cane sugar or thick granulated sugar.
Spices: Adjust the seasonings for extra warmth and know that you can also add cloves to the mix for a deeper, spicier flavor.
White chocolate: The perfect flavor pairing for molasses cookies, sprinkle some mini white chocolate chips into the cookie dough for a pop of gooey indulgence.
Nuts: If you like a nutty flavor with a bit of crunch, roll the cookies in chopped pistachios.
Tips To Make The Best Molasses Cookies
Dark molasses gives the best flavor as blackstrap molasses is a bit too bitter. Likewise, the better quality of the molasses the more intense and richer the flavor will be.
For chewier cookies, opt for dark brown sugar instead of light brown.
Don’t overbake the cookies. The edges should be golden but the centers should still be very soft as they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
The cookie dough balls do spread out while baking so when you’re portioning them, make sure to leave extra space.
Store leftover cookies once cooled in an airtight container on the counter. They’ll stay fresh for about 7 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies which is great around the holidays. Separate the cookies in layers with parchment paper and store them in a freezer bag. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight and come to room temperature before you serve them.
Know that you can store them on the counter for longer if you place a piece of fresh bread into the container. This prevents the cookies from drying out.
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup molasses
For rolling:
- 1/3 cup white or organic sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Add Egg Yolk and Molasses: Add the egg yolk and molasses to the butter and sugar mixture, and beat until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: In the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- Form Cookies: Using a spoon, scoop portions of dough and form them into balls. Roll each ball in white or organic sugar.
- Baking: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Flavor Enhancement: Add a pinch of ground cloves for a deeper, spicier flavor.
- Texture: For chewier cookies, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.
- Cooling Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely on the wire rack for the best texture.
- Rolling Options: Try rolling the cookies in cinnamon sugar for an extra flavor boost.
- Forming the Cookies: For uniform size, use a cookie scoop or a measuring spoon. If you like a crunchier exterior, you can roll the dough balls in granulated sugar or organic cane sugar before baking.
- Baking: Make sure to leave enough space between the dough balls on the baking sheet so they don’t merge while baking.
- Keep an eye on the cookies during the last few minutes of baking. The edges should be golden, but the center may look a bit soft; the cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This way, they will stay fresh for several days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cookie dough before baking. Form the dough into balls, place them on a tray, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. This way, you’ll have dough ready to bake whenever you want.
- Molasses: Use high-quality molasses for better flavor.
