I bake these old-fashioned molasses cookies every holiday season because they're everything I want in a Christmas cookie—soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and finished with those beautiful crackly sugar tops.
The smell alone makes the whole house feel cozy. I usually bake a double batch because they disappear quickly, and they're one of my favorite cookies to enjoy with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or eggnog.
If you love Christmas baking you have to try my Christmas Spritz Cookies, No Chill Gingerbread Cookies, Pumpkin Pie Cookies or Banana Bread With Cranberries.
Key Ingredient Tips
- Butter – Let the butter come to room temperature before you begin. I've found it creams much more easily with the sugar, giving the cookies their soft texture.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar keeps these cookies moist and chewy while adding a deeper caramel flavor that pairs perfectly with the molasses.
- Molasses – I recommend regular dark or unsulphured molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses here because it's much more bitter and can overpower the warm spices.
- Warm spices – Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg create that classic old-fashioned flavor. If you love extra spice, a pinch of ground cloves is delicious too.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works beautifully. I've also had good results with a quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Granulated sugar – Rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking creates those pretty crackly tops and gives the cookies just the right amount of sparkle.
What Readers Say
Just what I was looking for! Soft, and yummy. I cut the spices just a tad, because I didn't want to over power the molasses flavor. But next time I won't just to see if they are still as good! My go to recipe from now on. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Linda
How To Make Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies Step By Step
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer or electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the molasses and egg until well incorporated. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and baking soda to the mixing bowl and mix well.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture on low speed, just until combined. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Roll the dough into 1 ½" balls and roll them in the granulated sugar until coated.
- Place dough balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 11 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, cookie jar, or freezer bag.
Rita's Best Tips
- Don't skip chilling the dough – I've found this is the biggest secret to thick, chewy cookies that don't spread too much.
- Use room-temperature ingredients – Butter and eggs blend much more smoothly and create a softer cookie.
- Check your baking soda – Fresh baking soda helps create those beautiful cracked tops.
- Don't overbake – The cookies should still look slightly soft in the center when you take them out. They finish setting as they cool.
- Use a cookie scoop – It makes every cookie the same size so they bake evenly.
- Double the batch – I almost always do because these cookies freeze beautifully and are perfect for holiday cookie trays.
- Freeze the dough – I actually prefer freezing the unbaked cookie dough so I can bake fresh cookies whenever we want them.
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days. They actually become even softer the next day.
- To Freeze. I prefer freezing the unbaked cookie dough rather than baked cookies. Roll the dough into balls, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To Make Ahead. The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
- To Reheat. If you love warm cookies like I do, microwave one for about 8–10 seconds before serving.
Easy Cookie Recipes
If you're looking for more Christmas-themed cookies you have to try our Christmas Spritz Cookies and some of my favorite cookies below:
📖Recipe
Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies (Soft and Chewy!)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
For Rolling
- ½ cup granulated sugar , for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer or electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.1 cup brown sugar, ¾ cup unsalted butter
- Mix in molasses and the egg until well incorporated. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and baking soda to the mixing bowl and mix well.½ cup molasses, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon baking soda
- Gradually add in the flour mixture on low speed, just until combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Preheat at an oven temperature of 350F.
- Roll dough into 1 ½" balls and roll them in the granulated sugar until coated. Place dough balls 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 11 minutes.½ cup granulated sugar
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, cookie jar, or freezer bag.
Nutrition
Molasses Cookies: Frequently Asked Questions
Usually it's because the dough wasn't chilled long enough or the baking soda wasn't fresh. Rolling the dough generously in sugar also helps create that classic crackled top.
Absolutely! These are one of my favorite make-ahead holiday cookies because the dough keeps well in both the refrigerator and freezer.
I don't recommend it. Its strong, slightly bitter flavor can overpower the warm spices. Regular dark or unsulphured molasses gives the best flavor.
Warm dough is usually the culprit. Make sure it's well chilled before baking, and always place it on a cool baking sheet.
Yes! I actually prefer freezing the dough instead of baked cookies. Bake straight from frozen by adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Rita
Delicious molasses cookies with crispy exterior and soft inside.
Christine
Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to make them again.
Linda
Just what I was looking for! Soft, and yummy. I cut the spices just a tad, because I didn't want to over power the molasses flavor. But next time I won't just to see if they are still as good! My go to recipe from now on.
Rita
thank you Linda, these are our favorite too!
Jasmine
These are good cookies, a good recipe. I made them for my mother however, the one thing I do have an issue with is in the way the recipe is written. At the beginning it states to “cream the sugar and butter together” however the first time I made these, that specific instruction was faultered because it should be written to “cream the brown sugar and butter together” as I ended up losing half a cup of brown sugar due to this error. This wasn’t noticed until I luckily managed to see farther down that the granulated sugar is used to roll the dough in, not at the beginning. Otherwise, good recipe.
Rita
thank you, and sorry for the confusion. Please always take care to read the recipe card to avoid confusions.
Diane
These were the best molasses cookies I ever had!!!! They are so good and soft !!!
Rita
Thank you Diane, they are too good!
Elmer M
I saw this recipe while looking at other cookie recipes. It looked like a wonderful recipe so I tried it. IT IS A WONDERFUL RECIPE! The only thing I did wrong was I made the balls a little big. This is a good recipe and I'm making some more! Don't hesitate to try this recipe!
Rita
thank you for your feedback! Glad you liked it Elmer!
Anne Degrange
Soesn't say what kind of molasses
Rita
Anne you can choose unsulphured or dark molasses for these cookies; avoid blackstrap as it's too intense in flavor for this recipe.
Marcy Jones
Has anyone tried adding a bit of orange zest to the cookie dough? I'm curious if it would complement the molasses flavor. Thoughts?
Beth Ann
I tried it last year! Adds a nice, subtle brightness. Def worth a shot. 🙂
Rita
Hi Marcy, I haven't tried it yet but it sounds interesting! let me know if you try it out!
Max
Rita, loved ur ginger molasses cookies recipe, turned out great and the fam couldn't get enough of them. Will be making these again for sure, thanks!
Rita
Hi Max, thank you for your comment. We make them often too!
Karl_the_Fifth
I'm skeptical of these so-called 'easy' recipes. More often than not, they oversimplify things and the results are mediocre. Are these ginger molasses cookies genuinely worth the effort, or am I going to be disappointed again?
JennyBakes
I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out. Definitely give it a try, Karl!
CookieMonster42
Totally worth it, Karl. They were a hit in my house.
Rita
Hi Karl. Just try them, they are easy to make, and you'll love them!
Yvonne Herbst
Can you use 1-4-1 flour to make them gluten free?
Rita
Good question but not sure. If you want to use GF flour I'd recommend Bob's Red Mill and not Arthurs.
Steph
perfect Everytime. make twice a month ...Thank yo