Soft Molasses Ginger Cookies (Printable version)

Chewy molasses and ginger spiced cookies with a tender texture and rich warmth, ideal for cozy indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 2 teaspoons baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

13 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
04 - Add egg, then molasses and vanilla extract to butter mixture, mixing until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll into balls, then coat evenly in granulated sugar.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • They're soft and chewy inside with that satisfying sugar-coated crunch on the outside, and they stay tender for days.
  • The spice blend is bold enough to feel special but balanced enough that even people who don't usually love spiced cookies ask for the recipe.
  • You can make the whole batch in under 30 minutes, which means last-minute cookie cravings are actually solvable.
02 -
  • Overbaking by even one minute turns these from chewy to crispy, so set a timer and don't go by color alone—watch the edges instead.
  • If your butter isn't actually softened, your dough will be dense and the cookies won't have that tender crumb, so let it sit out beforehand or cut it into small pieces to speed things up.
  • Molasses is thick and sticky, so lightly oil your measuring cup before pouring so it actually comes out clean.
03 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly and create a better texture than cold ingredients pulled straight from the fridge.
  • The moment you see the edges set but the centers still soft is the sweet spot—pull them out early and trust that they'll continue cooking on the hot pan.

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