Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (2024)

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ByGaby Dalkin

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These soft and chewy Molasses Cookies are hands down my all time favorite Christmas Cookie! Every year they are the crowd favorite from my Christmas Cookie Roundup.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (1)

Table of Contents

Why I Love This Recipe

These Molasses Cookies come from my mom - who I think got the recipe from my her mom and she probably got it from her mom. Who knows. Either way - these Molasses Cookies are perfection. The dough comes together quickly, chills in the fridge to harden it up, and then rolled into balls and coated in sugar before baking. The result is a perfectly soft and chewy molasses cookie that you'll totally love!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (2)
  • Unsalted Butter – I like to use unsalted butter when baking to control the amount of salt I add to the recipe. Make sure your butter is at room temperature before creaming it together with the sugars to yield the best results.
  • White Sugar– White sugar helps aerate the cookies when creamed with the butter to create tiny air pockets for a crispier cookie.
  • Egg – Use large eggs at room temperature. If they're straight from the fridge, they will make the butter seize and won't combine evenly.
  • Dark Molasses – Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn't anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It's carried at almost every grocery store so it's easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
  • All-Purpose Flour– Measured by scoop and leveling.
  • Baking Soda – For leavening, texture, flavor, and browning.
  • Spices – I like using a combination of cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground ginger.

*For full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How to Make Molasses Cookies

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (3)

Step 1: In a large stand mixer combine the butter, sugar, egg and molasses. Mix for a minute or two until well combined.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (4)

Step 2: Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (5)

Step 3: Once chilled, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into balls.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (6)

Step 4: Roll them around in a small cup of sugar and set onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (7)

Step 5: After baking remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (8)

Step 6: Store any leftover Molasses Cookies in the freezer. This way they stay fresh even longer!

The in's and outs of Molasses Cookies!

  • What does molasses do for cookies?
    • Molasses makes baked goods extra soft so these cookies stay chewy even longer!
  • What's a good substitute for molasses?
    • Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn't anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It's carried at almost every grocery store so it's easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
  • How do you store molasses cookies?
    • My family has been storing them in the freezer since I was a kid. I'll take out as many as I need an hour or so before I plan on eating them and let them come to room temp. This way they stay fresh even longer! You can also nuke them in the microwave for 10 seconds when they come out of the freezer to speed the process up
  • Should I use light or dark molasses?
    • For baking - always use dark molasses!
Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (9)

So whip up a double batch of these and store them in the freezer for the next few weeks while you’re prepping for the holidays! Grab a few when you’re sweet tooth strikes and warm them up a bit in the microwave just so you can pretend you’re eating a cooking fresh outta the oven. They are pure perfection - I promise!

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If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟star ratingand let me know how it goes in the 📝commentsbelow. Thanks for visiting today!

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (18)

Molasses Cookies

Author: Gaby Dalkin

4.9 from 52 votes

These perfectly soft and chewy Molasses Cookies are an absolute must-make for your holiday baking!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup white sugar, plus extra for rolling
  • 1 egg
  • cup dark molasses
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour (measured by scoop and leveling)
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon powdered ginger

Instructions

  • In a large stand mixer combine the butter, sugar, egg and molasses. Mix for a minute or two until well combined.

  • Combine the flour, cloves, ginger cinnamon and baking soda and sift together.

  • Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Once chilled, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into balls. Roll them around in a small cup of sugar and set onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.

Notes

  • What does molasses do for cookies?
    • Molasses makes baked goods extra soft so these cookies stay chewy even longer!
  • What’s a good substitute for molasses?
    • Some people might tell you that you can substitute other ingredients like Maple Syrup, Cane Syrup or Sorghum Syrup, but there really isn’t anything else that compares to the flavor of molasses. It’s carried at almost every grocery store so it’s easy to come by, and it keeps for years in the pantry!
  • How do you store molasses cookies?
    • My family has been storing them in the freezer since I was a kid. I’ll take out as many as I need an hour or so before I plan on eating them and let them come to room temp. This way they stay fresh even longer! You can also nuke them in the microwave for 10 seconds when they come out of the freezer to speed the process up
  • Should I use light or dark molasses?
    • For baking – always use dark molasses!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

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  1. How many cookies does the 1x recipe make? Your recipe says it serves 15 people. ?? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. 30 cookies - 2 per person

  2. Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (19)
    Maldon salt is mentioned in the equipment list but the recipe doesn’t mention adding it, nor does have any salt in the recipe. I assume we should sprinkle a little salt after rolling in sugar?

    Reply

    1. great catch - it shouldn't have been in the equip list! no salt needed unless you want a sprinkle on top before baking

  3. Recipe specifies melted butter, do you mean softened or melted?

    Also, I don't see any salt in the recipe...is that correct?

    Reply

    1. melted butter is correct! and yes, I dont add salt to these but you totally could add a pinch

  4. Gaby, I love these cookies! I baked them this weekend, but mine turned out kind of flat. I don’t think it was the wine I was drinking, but… any thoughts on what I did wrong?

    Reply

    1. Did you measure the flour by scooping and leveling or spooning and leveling?

  5. Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (20)
    Hi Gaby! This recipe has been a family favorite ever since I started following you, years ago! But the rule follower in me has a quick question…When you say to “sift” the dry ingredients together in step two, do you want us to use an actual flour sifter tool to sift them all together once combined? Or does a regular whisk get the job done just fine? Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    1. honestly either works!! I use an actual sifter but I've done it without sifting too

  6. I can't find "dark" molasses anywhere- it's all either blackstrap or just Grandma's "original". Do you have a brand you recommend? Will this work with the regular kind?

    Reply

    1. GRANDMA'S ORIGINAL!

Leave a Reply

Soft And Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe - Easy Homemade Holiday Cookies! (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why are my molasses cookies so hard? ›

Form balls and roll in sugar: Just like snickerdoodles these cookies are rolled in granulated sugar before baking. Bake soft molasses cookies on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes. It's very important to not over bake the cookies or they will be hard and dry instead of soft and chewy.

Why won't my molasses cookies crack? ›

First, if the dough is too wet, the cracks won't appear because the cracks occur as the surface of the dough dries out. Make sure to measure all the ingredients accurately. The other possible reason for no cracking is if the dough is too warm. You want the dough to be chilled when it goes into the oven to bake.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

What makes cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

What happens if you add too much molasses to cookies? ›

Doubling up on molasses softened the cookies significantly.

Molasses is also extremely dark in color, so this batch of cookies turned out to be a deep brown.

What kind of molasses is best for cookies? ›

Light molasses is the sweetest and mildest out of the bunch because it is made from the first boiling cycle,” she said. “I like to use this type of molasses because it adds moisture to cookies, resulting in a soft and chewy texture.”

How to tell when molasses cookies are done? ›

Easy to Notice Signs:
  1. Golden Brown Edges – Check the edges of the cookies for a golden brown colour. This indicates that the cookies have caramelized and are likely done. ...
  2. Set Centres – Gently touch the centre of a cookie. ...
  3. Light Cracking – Look for light cracks on the surface of the cookies.
Oct 18, 2023

What flour is best for chewy cookies? ›

If you're looking for chewiness and bend, bread flour could be a handy addition to your cookie recipes. Fun fact: Alton Brown even named his signature bread flour Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe “The Chewy." Baker's tip: Looking for another way to add a little extra chew? Use brown sugar in your cookie dough.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

How do you soften molasses cookies? ›

Simply lay the bread at the bottom of the container and pile your cookies on top of it, seal the lid, and wait a few hours. The cookies will soak up all the moisture from the bread and by the next morning, they will taste as good as the day they came out of the oven gooey.

Why do my molasses cookies go flat? ›

OVEN IS TOO HOT

If your cookies consistently come out flat, you may have selected the wrong baking temperature. If you bake cookies using too much heat, the fats in the dough begin to melt before the other ingredients can cook together and form your cookie's rise.

How do you keep molasses cookies from spreading? ›

Chill the cookie dough.

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

What keeps cookies soft and chewy? ›

“To keep cookies soft, store them in an airtight container and not in a cookie jar,” Amanda recommends.

What factors cause a cookie to be crisp soft and chewy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What is the trick to soften hard cookies? ›

The easiest way to soften cookies with bread is to place the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and leave them for a few hours. The bread will release moisture and help to rehydrate the cookies, making them soft and chewy once again.

How do you make cookies soft and chewy vs hard and crisp? ›

Different types of sugars affect the texture because they absorb different amounts of water. Remember moisture is the key! White sugar creates crispier cookies and brown sugar creates chewier cookies.

References

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