Molasses Cookies – Soft and chewy on the inside and crisp around the edges. Full of delicious ginger flavor and taste just like Christmas! Drizzle or dip in white chocolate for the ultimate holiday cookie!
If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas cookie for your next cookie exchange or holiday party, these molasses cookies are it! They come together in just 30 minutes and taste incredible. I also love to make sugar cookie truffles, oreo balls, peanut butter blossoms and snickerdoodles.
Molasses Cookies
Christmas is such a fun time of year, and I absolutely love baking treats for family and friends. These soft molasses cookies (also known as gingerdoodles, gingersnaps or ginger cookies) are a perfect treat to share with someone you love this season. They pair wonderfully with hot chocolate and are sturdy enough to mail to friends and family far away!
As much as I love gingerbread, I kind of like that these cookies are a little more mild and less spicy than gingerbread. They’re soft and chewy on the inside, crisp around the edges, and overall they just taste homey, sweet and comforting. They remind me of a snickerdoodle with all the delicious Christmas flavors mixed in. Yum!
Another thing that’s great about these molasses cookies is that they are really quick to make. They don’t need to chill in the fridge, so they’re ready in under an hour, which is great during the busy holiday season. They would be perfect for a cookie exchange or on a platter of treats at a party!
What’s in molasses cookies?
- Butter (salted)
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Molasses
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cloves (ground)
- Salt
- Optional: Granulated sugar for rolling, white chocolate melting wafers for dipping
How do you make ginger molasses cookies?
Scroll down for the printable molasses cookie recipe.
- Preheat oven and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar, then cream for one minute.
- Add in egg and beat until smooth. Then add in molasses and mix just until combined.
- Place remaining dry ingredients into a sifter (or whisk in a bowl), then add to wet mixture. Mix until combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, roll cookie dough into balls. Add granulated sugar to a shallow bowl then roll the balls into the sugar until coated. Place cookie dough balls on baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack.
TIP: If making these molasses cookies plain (without rolling them in sugar), you can put the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking to make them bake a little fluffier.
Variations for molasses cookies
There are lots of fun ways to decorate these ginger molasses cookies. I personally love the chocolate-dipped version and my kids loved the dipped version with sprinkles (of course!). No matter which variation you choose, your guests will be raving over these soft molasses cookies. They are seriously SO good!
Molasses cookies rolled in sugar
Before baking the molasses cookies, you can roll the dough balls in granulated sugar. They taste like a mix between a snickerdoodle and gingerbread. Seriously the best combination!
Chocolate-drizzled molasses cookies
Drizzling the gingerdoodles with white chocolate over the top really takes these cookies up a notch! The white chocolate adds the perfect touch of sweetness and looks amazing.
Chocolate-dipped molasses cookies
I also love to dip the gingerdoodles in white chocolate (and maybe drizzle on even more chocolate). It makes them look a little fancier! It would also be fun to use red or green chocolate candy melts to drizzle over the white dipped portion.
Chocolate-dipped molasses cookies with holly berries
I absolutely love adding holly berries to the white chocolate. They make the gingerdoodles SO fun and festive…don’t they look like they came from a local bakery?! Your guests will go crazy over these!
Chocolate-dipped molasses cookies with sprinkles
And of course, how could you forget sprinkles! Feel free to top the chocolate dipped portion with confetti sprinkles. This variation is a big hit with my kids and is so cute!
Molasses Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling the cookies)
Optional: white chocolate melting wafers (for dipping), sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Cream for one minute, or until fluffy.
- Add in the egg and beat until smooth. Next add in the molasses and mix until combined.
- Place the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt into a sifter (if you don’t have a sifter, whisk in a bowl), and then add to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined. Be careful not to mix. Refrigerate dough 10-15 minutes.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (or about 1.5 Tablespoons), roll the cookie dough into a ball. Place the granulated sugar into a shallow bowl and then roll the dough into the sugar. Place on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes and let cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
- Dip cookies in melted white chocolate half way and place on wax paper or parchment paper if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Wrap these gingerdoodles up in a clear bag with ribbon and pass out to friends and coworkers. They will all love you!
They are seriously the best ginger cookies I’ve ever had. If there is one cookie you make this week, make these! Happy baking!
These look yummy…probably even more yummy with hot chocolate :)
These sound amazing! I bought molasses for another recipe and have a ton left, this recipe will be perfect to use it up!
These cookies have such great memories attached to them! My Grandma used to make these EVERY Christmas!
These are the BEST! So soft and perfect.
Molasses cookies are my very favorite! These are gorgeous!
These are sooooo cute and fun for the holiday, and that flavor combo is my favorite.
We absolutely love these cookies at our house!!
One of my favorites and I LOVE the way you’ve decorated them!
These are the prettiest cookies for a cookie exchange! Everyone loves them!
Just finished making these…they are awesome. We are not big gingerbread cookie fans but everyone loved them!
SO glad you loved them! :)
Where do you buy the holly berry decorations?
They are the Wilton brand (I believe I found them at Michaels last year), but here’s a link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QmEwzE
Can you freeze these after baked? With or without decorations?
Definitely! I would freeze them without decorations!
The Best Ginger Molasses Cookies decorated with Holly leafs and red hot berry……These are soo cute, but where do you find the little holly leaf candies?
I can’t remember where I found them, but if you google “holly berry sprinkles” or “holly berry candy” they will pop up at a few different places!
These look awesome, I would just like to confirm about how many this makes, 24 cookies (based on servings) or is a serving more than one cookie? (planning to take to a progressive dinner and want to make sure I make enough)
This recipe should make 2 dozen! :)
Hello! I made these but my cookies are not as round and crackly as I’d like. Thoughts on what I may have done wrong?
Did you use a cookie scoop? Mine aren’t crackly until they cool!
My crackle tends to vary each time I make them (depending on the placement in oven and temperature in house). If I want a good crackle, I typically place them closer to the top. They also could have been over-mixed once the flour was added. I just barely mix until they are combined so the gluten doesn’t activate.
This has become my go-to cookie for the holidays and cookie exchanges. It makes for a softer cookie, not crisp like ginger snaps which I like too, but it has good flavor. I’ve made this recipe with much success, and I get many requests for the recipe!
I’m so glad these are always a hit! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and review Shan! :)
Love the combination of molasses and ginger; these are just the right mixture of sweet and spiced! Definitely don’t want to over mix or over bake these; they’re best soft and fluffy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Laura! :)
Even went to Michael’s to get the adorable holly decorations. This cookie is my favorite cookie I’ve had in a looong time. The right amount of chew, softness, and spice. Made another batch for work and they were scarfed up in no time
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Jenna! :)
I’m definitely going to try these! Thanks for sharing the recipe :) I’m just wondering if I can store those in a box up until Christmas or should I freeze them?
I would definitely freeze them if you are wanting them to last until Christmas!
Mine did not turn out right. Very flat and not fluffy at all very heavy. What could I have done wrong. I’ve been baking for years . This was a disaster for me. Wanted to use these for a cookie exchange. Now I need to start over.😞
I’m sorry these didn’t turn out well for you Marie! Did everything seem right until you baked them? Or was the dough off too?
This is a great cookie. I tested it in advance of a Christmas Cookies & Cocktails party I’m having in 2 weeks. I dipped mine in white. Hocolate and decorated them with a variety of Christmas sprinkles. It’s almost a soft ginger snap.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
So nummy! Made these today for a church party, they were a big hit! My daughter even tried to sneak a bunch before I left. So chewy and crispy at the same time. And so flavorful too!
I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks so much for leaving and comment and review Samantha! :)
Where do you find the ivy leaves sprinkles?
They are the Wilton brand (I believe I found them at Michaels last year), but here’s a link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QmEwzE
I made these last year and they were some of my favorites among the bunch! This year my 3 year old really wants to help on cookie day so I’m making a lot of “make ahead” doughs. Can this be made 1-2 days ahead of time and keep in the fridge?
Definitely! I would just let it thaw out a little bit before cooking since you normally only refrigerate for 10-15 minutes! :)
I’ve made these several times and always get RAVE reviews! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m so glad they are always a hit! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Christy! :)
What is the best way to store these cookies?
Hi Lisa! I would store in an airtight container!