These Ginger Molasses Cookies are sooo flavorful with a soft and chewy texture. You’ll find these cookies laced with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, to name a few. There is a reason that these signature cookies are a cult favorite during the holidays, they’re a classic! Bake up a batch for your general cookie cravings, cookie swaps, and beyond!

closeup of ginger molasses cookies on platter

Oooeee give me all the cookies and more when it comes to the holiday season! How about y’all? This time of the year is synonymous with flour, butter, and sugar, yes?! Yes, ha. Listen, the other day I was in Costco and grabbed a huge bag (12 pounder!) of all-purpose flour because I plan to be thoroughly prepared for all the cookies, rolls, pancakes, and everything in between.

These ginger molasses cookies, friends! They are truly one of my top favorite cookies to make. Back in my corporate 9-5 days, I would make them and bring ’em into work. Come lunch time, every single cookie would be gone, they’re that good!

halved ginger molasses cookie on plate

The Best Ginger Molasses Cookies

If you haven’t had one of these babies just yet, lemme school you. There is a reason that these cookies are a fan favorite. They’re filled to the brim with robust molasses flavor with just the right amount of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom. You’ll find the texture to be soft yet nice and chewy >> the perfect cookie combination! They’re rolled in sugar so the outer portion of the cookie has a sweet lil kiss of more suga.

ingredients for ginger molasses cookies in bowls

Ingredients Needed For These Cookies

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • all-purpose flour: feel free to use gluten-free flour if you’d like.
  • baking soda: use *fresh* baking soda, check that expiration date.
  • spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and cardamom…so warm and nice!
  • kosher salt: helps to balance out the flavors.
  • butter: unsalted and room temperature, nothing beats butter.
  • granulated sugar: for the cookies and for rolling the cookie dough balls in.
  • brown sugar: adds deeper molasses richness.
  • eggs: just one to give these cookies some structure.
  • vanilla essence: extract or paste, mmm.
  • unsulphured molasses: the star of the show, molasses has such a deeply flavored and richly robust taste >> it also gives these cookies their signature chewiness in texture.
ginger molasses cookie dough in glass bowl with spatula
ginger molasses cookie dough ball sitting in a bowl of sugar

How To Make Ginger Molasses Cookies:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

  1. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients. The set aside.
  2. Cream the butter & sugar. Beat the butter/sugar together until fluffy.
  3. Add in the wet ingredients. Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla essence.
  4. Toss in the flour mixture. Empty the flour mixture into the bowl and mix until the flour dissolves and the cookie dough just combines.
  5. Chill the dough. This step is crucial as the dough will be too soft at this stage and needs to firm up a bit before rolling.
  6. Scoop the dough and roll. With a cookie scoop, shape the dough into balls in your palms and roll them into a small bowl filled with sugar to coat.
  7. Bake away! Bake the cookies and allow them to cool. Enjoy!

…& if you love cookies, don’t miss my funfetti pudding cookies, these soft peanut butter cookies, and these chocolate chunk cookies, delicious.

ginger molasses dough rolled in sugar on baking sheet

Tips + Tricks For Recipe Success

More info regarding these ginger molasses cookies! ♡

  • Room temperature ingredients: Just the butter, make sure the butter is softened to room temperature and not melted. This is crucial for the butter to cream well with the sugar.
  • Careful not to overmix: Beat the cookie batter until everything just combines and comes together. Overmixing can produce super tough cookies, we don’t want this.
  • Add-ons/customizations: Toss in a bit of chopped crystallized ginger for more chewiness!
ginger molasses cookies on cooling rack

Make Ahead Cookies

If you want to prep these ginger molasses cookies ahead of time, you can! Follow the instructions to make the cookies all the way up step #5. Transfer the cookie dough into an airtight container to refrigerate and chill for no longer than overnight (about 8 hours, tops). Then proceed with step #6 to bake them off.

ginger molasses cookies on white platter

Storing Your Ginger Molasses Cookies:

Keep any leftover cookies stored inside of an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week. Alternatively, you can freeze these cookies for up to 1 month.

stack of ginger molasses cookies on small plate

Listen, Ginger Molasses Cookies are famous for good reason. There isn’t a cookie on earth quite like this gem, mmm. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

More delicious sweet tings:

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closeup of ginger molasses cookies on platter

BEST Ginger Molasses Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 30-33 cookies
  • Category: Desserts & Sweets
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These Ginger Molasses Cookies are sooo flavorful with a soft and chewy texture. You’ll find these cookies laced with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, to name a few. There is a reason that these signature cookies are a cult favorite during the holidays, they’re a classic! Bake up a batch for your general cookie cravings, cookie swaps, and beyond!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsulphured molasses 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (extract or paste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and cardamom until well combined. Then set the flour mixture aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Then add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla essence and continue beating on medium-low speed until everything is just combined.
  5. With the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined and there are no streaks of flour- be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed. Then place the cookie dough bowl into the refrigerator to chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until chilled). Note: this step is crucial as the dough will be too soft at this stage and needs to rest + firm up a bit before rolling.
  6. Fill a small bowl with about ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop (a heaping tbsp or so) to scoop the dough and then roll the dough in the palm of your hands into balls. Then roll the ball in the sugar until fully coated on all sides.
  7. Place the ball onto the baking sheet and repeat the process until all cookies are shaped/rolled in your hand, and then rolled in sugar- place the assembled cookies at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
  8. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 9-10 minutes. 
  9. The cookies may look soft and undercooked, but will continue to cook while they cool. As soon as the cookies exit the oven, gently drop/tap the baking sheet on the counter to deflate the cookies and encourage the surface to crackle more- I like to do this about 2 times.
  10. Let the cookies cool for 5-7 minutes on the baking sheet and then use a cookie spatula (or regular spatula) to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Then serve. Enjoy! Keep these ginger molasses cookies stored inside an airtight container or plastic bag for freshness. They’ll keep on the counter for up to one week.

Notes

  1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin