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
- 2.25 cups all-purpose 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 with a spoon, just until combined. Be careful not to over 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!
Fantastic cookie. They are not only delicious but they remain moist and chewy for days! I even got a thumbs up from my Mom, a professed molasses hater. They are really a gingerbread cookie. I highly recommend this recipe. Thanks, iheartnaptime!
So happy to hear this! Glad you enjoyed them :)
What are your thoughts about dipping these in brown chcolate instead of white?
I prefer white, but you could definitely try a few and see if you like it. They also taste great plain.
I made these for three families, including my own. Everyone LOVED them. I made the rolled in sugar variation, they were much plumper and so soft! I’ll definitely be making more of these
Yay! So glad everyone loved them :)
I typically don’t like ginger cookies but these are AMAZING!
So good and easy!
Best Gingerbread cookie ever!!! So simple and so delish. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thanks for your review :)
I made these cookies, and let me tell you, these are PERFECT for the holidays. Almost like a big collection of homey, holidayey sensation in one bite.
Perfect description! Glad you enjoyed them :)