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Chewy molasses cookies are richly flavored with molasses and warm spices. These old-fashioned cookies are the perfect recipe to add to your holiday baking list!
Even though Thanksgiving still isn’t for another week, my mind is already on Christmas cookies. Maybe it’s because Thanksgiving is so late this year, or maybe it’s just because we could all use a little holiday cheer these days.
Either way, I refuse to apologize for the cookie recipes I’ve got coming up in the next few weeks.
The first time I shared these soft, chewy molasses cookies was when I was pregnant with Elle. Fast forward to now and life has changed a whole lot (I’m a mom of 2 now, for starters), but this recipe is still at the top of my favorites list.
There’s just something about that crunchy sugar coating and old-fashioned molasses flavor that makes me swoon year after year.
Why you’ll love these chewy molasses cookies
This molasses cookie recipe is an old-fashioned classic and it’s easy to see why. It absolutely belongs on a list of all-time great holiday cookies with sour cream sugar cookies, almond crescent cookies, spritz cookies, and clothespin cookies.
The dough for these cookies is flavored with molasses, which also gives the cookies their dark color, along with pumpkin pie spice. Unlike frosted ginger cookies, there isn’t a prominent ginger flavor in this recipe, so it’s a great one for anyone who isn’t the biggest fan of gingerbread cookies.
The dough balls get rolled in granulated sugar before baking, giving them a crackly exterior that pairs perfectly with their chewy texture.
Take these beauties to a cookie exchange and they’re bound to disappear in no time at all!
How to make molasses cookies
These molasses cookies are pretty simple to make, so you can easily whip up a few batches of them throughout the holiday season!
Ingredients you’ll need
For this recipe, you will need:
- ¾ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
One thing that makes these cookies extra soft and chewy is using all brown sugar in the dough. If you run out of brown sugar or yours hardened in the pantry, don’t panic. Make a simple brown sugar substitute and check out my tips on how to soften brown sugar.
This recipe uses unsulfured molasses – do NOT use blackstrap molasses! If you haven’t bought molasses much before, it’s worth getting familiar with the types of molasses before you head to the store.
I like to flavor these cookies with my pumpkin pie spice. In my opinion, it’s got just the right combination of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to pair with the brown sugar and molasses in the dough.
My chai spice blend would also be delicious in this recipe!
Making these cookies
One great thing about this cookie dough is that you can make it by hand if you want. You can use a mixer, but you don’t need to!
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter with the brown sugar and egg. Once that is well combined, add in the molasses and vanilla.
Separately, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.
Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to scoop out the dough. Roll the dough into balls, then roll the balls in the granulated sugar.
Place the cookies on lined baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, until puffed and crackly and browned around the edges. Let the molasses cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes (they’ll deflate as they cool – that’s ok!) before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storage tips
These chewy molasses cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
If you’re trying to get your holiday baking knocked out ahead of time, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to a month. Pop them into a freezer-safe airtight container or zip-top freezer bag. Let them thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.
You could also thaw the dough balls before baking. Roll them in sugar and line them up on lined baking sheets before freezing until solid.
When you’re ready to bake, bake them according to the recipe directions, adding 1-2 more minutes to the bake time if needed.
For more details on that process, check out my post on how to freeze cookie dough.
Molasses Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and egg until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the molasses and vanilla until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoons) to scoop the cookies. Roll the dough into balls, then roll in the granulated sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So I made the cookies today and they look perfect! I used my middle size scoop as was recommended but I only got 22 cookies. They are large so I think I’ll use my smaller scoop next time but double the recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Molasses are my absolute favorite cookie, anytime. We have a “wind chill-day” here in NY so there’s no school and I think I’ll make these.
Kristi-
No school here in Ohio today either! Please stop back and let us know your experience with the recipe! Have a wonderful “snow day” and thanks so much for following MBA!
-Jamie
I tried making these cookies and had a couple of problems. They didn’t get the cracked look on the top, and when I took them out of the oven, they completely flattened! Any ideas as to what went wrong??
Hi Lesley,
It’s really difficult to diagnose baking problems from a distance. It could be anything from an off temperature oven (for example, my oven runs 10 degrees hotter than what the display says), to the butter being too warm when it went into the batter. The cookies do flatten a bit after cooling, but I’m not sure why they didn’t crack.
– Jamie
They really look divine :)
Jamie,
Do these freeze well? I was hoping to make several different kinds of cookies this year but want to make them early.
These freeze beautifully, Barbara. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to answer you sooner.
– Jamie
These look so delicious I can’t wait to try them :)
Take good care of yourself and the baby :) Wishing you a great holiday season!!
These are one of our favorites and while we love them in the fall too with crisp apples, I always include some in the cookies baskets I fill for holiday gifts. Yours look terrific…even if your hands and feet don’t! Hang in there…the best is yet to come.
If you are looking for reviews of the recipe, you can find them below. It was published on the web 8 years ago.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/molasses-cookies/
Mary-
This recipe was adapted from the allrecipes.com version; however, it will create a different texture due to the butter and brown sugar. Thanks for stopping by – have a great day!
-Jamie
Jamie-
I prefer your version! The “melt in your mouth” texture you gave them with the melted butter and brown sugar is a winner! I dip half of my cookie in a chocolate-cinnamon melt topped with a touch of sea salt…YUM!
It’s so true – that flavor of molasses is the quintessential holiday flavor – I just love it. Beautiful photos as always! Hang in through that third trimester!