Best Molasses Cookies! These soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies don't need to be chilled before baking. Perfect Christmas cookie recipe!
Out of all of the seasonal winter flavors, gingerbread is my favorite. I love the combination of the molasses and the warm spices in gingerbread.
My mom made gingerbread and molasses cookies around Christmas each year, and the smell of the gingerbread always takes me back.
And these really are the best molasses cookies! I make this recipe every year.
The cookies are soft in the middle with just a little chew at the edges, and the dough doesn't need to be chilled before baking, so it's as quick and easy as it is tasty.
How to make molasses cookies
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325F.
Step 2: In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, butter, molasses, and egg until well-combined.
Step 3: Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.
Step 4: Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 ½-inch balls. Dip tops into granulated sugar.
Step 5: On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls, sugared sides up, about 2 inches apart.
Step 6: Bake 10-15 minutes or just until set. The cookies will still look a little wet in the cracks, but the tops and edges should be set. The cookies will also be a little puffed up but will deflate as they cool.
Step 7: Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, and then remove cookies to cooling rack.
Tips
- You'll need the butter to be at the correct temperature. Cool room temperature means that the butter is about 68F. It should be soft enough to dent when you press on it, but the stick of butter should still keep its shape.
- If the butter smooshes when you press on it, it's too warm. Using butter that's too warm will cause the cookies to bake out and give you flat, greasy cookies.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using either mild or robust molasses. Blackstrap molasses will give the cookies a bitter flavor.
This dough doesn't need to be chilled. However, if your butter, or your kitchen, is too warm, you may find that a quick chill in the fridge gives you thicker cookies.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for about 3-4 days.
More recipes that use molasses!
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Best Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup shortening
- ¼ cup butter at cool room temperature¹
- ¼ cup molasses²
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt³
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- In large bowl, beat brown sugar, shortening, butter, molasses, and egg until well-combined.
- Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.
- Shape dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 ½-inch balls. Dip tops into granulated sugar.
- On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls, sugared sides up, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-15 minutes or just until set. The cookies will still look a little wet in the cracks, but the tops and edges should be set. The cookies will also be a little puffed up but will deflate as they cool.
- Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, and then remove cookies to cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- The butter should dent when you press on it but shouldn't lose its shape. If the butter smooshes when you press on it, it's too warm.
- Mild or robust molasses will work. I don't recommend blackstrap molasses as it has a bitter flavor.
- Or ¼ teaspoon of table salt.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Originally published 12/5/16. Updated with new photos and tips 11/26/18.
Adapted from Betty Crocker.
Kinzey
It was unanimous, we all loved these molasses cookies.
Kate
Thank you!
Sara
This is my favorite molasses cookie recipe. It turns out perfect every time.
Kate
Thank you so much!!
Lana
My fav !
Kate
Thank you!!
Denise Noble
Can you use all butter in place of the shortening?
Kate
Hi! Using all butter will cause the cookies to bake out more.
Laura
These are great Christmas cookies. We loved them.
Kate
Yay!! I'm so glad to hear that. Thank you for commenting!
Allison
Absolutely perfect!! We’ve been on the quest for a favorite molasses cookie & this one wins hands down. The combo of butter & shortening is brilliant. Thank you so much for posting!
Kate
Thank you so much! This is my favorite molasses cookie, and I love to hear that other people are enjoying it too. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Gen
These are my new fave cookies! This is the easiest recipe and the cookies are so soft.
Kate
Thanks! My family loves these cookies, and it's great to hear that other people are enjoying them, too. =)
Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats
I love that these are soft!! I definitely need to make these ??