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Molasses Cookies are the perfect sweet treat! I am in love with this molasses cookie recipe – it’s so easy and produces a soft and chewy cookie perfectly spiced for Christmas with a crackly top – just how they should be!
Molasses Cookies are my absolute favorite Christmas cookie. In fact, I crave them (and make them) all year long! If you’re looking for soft chewy ginger molasses cookies, you can’t top this southern favorite. The ground cinnamon paired with the ground cloves and sugars is what takes the flavor and taste over the top. These are my favorite holiday cookies – I love the gingerbread spices and molasses flavor – just smelling molasses makes me long for Christmas! I know they’re traditionally a holiday cookie but I love them all year long.
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted butter – Make sure that it’s softened; salted may be substituted by reducing the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Brown sugar – Always pack your brown sugar. We also need Granulated sugar for coating.
- Molasses – Use unsulphered or blackstrap molasses.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract is my choice!
- Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg – These are the classic gingerbread spices
How to make Molasses Cookies
- Use a mixer and combine the butter, brown sugar, and molasses. Add the egg and vanilla and stir. Then mix in the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth. I used a hand mixer but you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if you prefer.
- Slowly add the flour and mix until combined.
- Add the teaspoon ground cinnamon and sugar into a medium bowl. You can use a cookie scoop to shape dough into balls and roll the cookie dough balls in the mixture.
- Place on the baking sheet. These cookies spread, so leave space when you’re baking them. This is where you’ll turn them into M&M Cookies if you want to.
- Put the cookie dough scoops into the fridge for one hour at a minimum.
- Add parchment paper to the baking sheets. Bake until they’re no longer glossy on top. Cool cookie sheets on wire racks.
Expert Tips
- I love adding Christmas M&Ms on top before baking for color and to make them more festive. You can also roll them in sprinkles.
- Want more cookies – just double the recipe.
FAQs
I always use regular grocery store molasses. Usually it’s Grandma’s brand and it is unsulphured. You can also use blackstrap molasses.
While many people think that these two types of cookies are the same, they’re actually quite different. Molasses cookies are soft and chewy, while gingerbread cookies are thinner and typically cut outs or made into gingersnaps, which are crunchy.
To determine if the cookies are done baking, the top of the cookies is your clue. If they’re done and ready to be removed from the oven, the glossy top will be gone and will not look shiny.
Molasses Cookies Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (79ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups (248g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Christmas M&Ms for topping, optional
Instructions
- Note: this dough requires chilling.
- Using a stand or a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until the butter is broken up (the mixture will be lumpy). Mix in egg and vanilla, then add baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth, then slowly mix in the flour until the cookie dough forms.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. No need to space them out; you’re going to chill them.
- Chill the dough for at least one hour, but you can also cover and chill up to one full day (or freeze the balls of dough for later baking).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar and then place on the cookie sheet. These do spread, so leave room. Top each ball with 5-6 M&Ms.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until they’re no longer glossy. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Nutrition
Molasses Cookies are the perfect Christmas Cookie Recipe! These are soft & chewy cookies with M&Ms but they’re amazing plain too!
I am not an experienced baker but I tried this recipe as written and I think something must be missing. I scooped the dough in 2 tbsp balls and chilled them overnight. I rolled them in sugar and put them on the cookie tray, (the recipe does not say anything about pushing them flat – and I am confused on how anyone could balance 5 M&Ms on these balls – I opted to not use the candies) I cooked them for 10 mins at 350F and they did not look like they changed at all – they did not even spread – I cooked them an additional 10 minutes – still no changes but a toothpick came out clean so I took them out of the oven – I smashed the next tray but they did not spread out either – I cooked them about 12 minutes (the toothpick came out clean) and took them out – the 3rd tray I left out to soften before cooking and are in the oven now – The first two trays taste great but they do not look like the picture – the first ones are crunchy on the outside the second ones are a little softer.
I’m not sure what happened except that possibly your baking soda is old? Have you check the date lately? Mine were chilled for about 2 hours and they spread just fine.
I too am an avid reader. I get excited about all things in print and your blog is no exception. It is fabulous. I love your rambling because it makes me feel like we are having a great conversation. My recipe file has really grown with your wonderful creations. I too love molasses cookies, but I have never rolled them in cinnamon sugar but this year I will. I love your hint to scoop the balls before refrigerating. It will surely be a lot easier than scooping the cold dough. I look forward to trying your recipe this year. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Yes we read what you write! ( and I always enjoy your stories and humor) and you would write an amazing book! I can’t wait til that day comes! And oh, the cookies sound fantastic!
I hope you write a book! 🙂 These are the quintessential holiday cookie! The m and m’s make them so festive too!
CLASSIC and festive. Love it, D!
These cookies tasted fabulous but once they cooled, they fell totally flat. Any suggestions?
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