These easy molasses crinkle cookies are packed full of flavor from ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg. They are insanely soft and chewy, and the dough doesn't need to be chilled so they're ready in just 30 minutes. But I'll warn you now - it's hard to walk away from them after the first bite!
The ground spices in these chewy molasses crinkle cookies are perfect for Fall and Winter. But honestly, I've made these in the middle of the summer and they're just as delicious!
These cookies are a little crispy on the outside, and decadently chewy on the inside. Plus they keep their soft texture for several days longer than other types of cookies!
Ginger molasses cookies are one of my favorite types of holiday cookies because they have such a unique and comforting flavor. And in this post, I'm sharing all my tips on which type of molasses to use, along with how to create the most scrumptious cookies each time.
Hungry for more chewy holiday cookies? Try spiced Pfeffernüsse cookies, iced German gingerbread called Lebkuchen, and anise flavored Springerle cookies.
Let's Bake Molasses Crinkle Cookies!
Whisk the dry ingredients together
Beat the butter and sugars together.
Add the molasses and vanilla extract.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Shape the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Bake & enjoy!!
The Best Molasses to Use in Cookies
Ah, molasses. That pungent glass jar seems to just sit at the back of the cupboard until December, aka homemade gingerbread season. But December shouldn't hog molasses all to itself!
There are three main types of molasses. I recommend using dark molasses in your molasses crinkle cookies for the best flavor & color.
Light molasses is made from the first boiling of sugarcane, and it has a lighter color (although its still quite dark) and the mildest flavor.
Dark molasses is made from the second boiling of sugarcane, which gives it a darker color and stronger flavor.
Blackstrap molasses is made from the third boiling of sugarcane. It's the darkest in color and has the most bitter flavor. It's better in savory dishes like baked beans.
Also I recommend to use an unsulphured molasses. Sulphured molasses has been treated with sulphur dioxide which acts as a preservative. But while it extends its shelf life, it gives it an unpleasant chemical taste.
Storing
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies also freeze well. Store in an airtight container or freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
More Festive Holiday Cookie Recipes
Hungry for more easy Christmas cookies? Try these:
Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup unsulphured dark molasses
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar until it is creamy and fluffy, after 2 to 5 minutes. You can either use an electric hand mixer or a wooden spoon.
- Add the molasses and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes, until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix by hand with a spoon just until you don't see any dry flour, after about 1 minute.The dough will be pretty dry at first. Just keep mixing gently until the dough is evenly mixed.
- Roll the cookie dough into 12 even balls, each about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
- Place the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll each ball of cookie dough in the granulated sugar to coat it. Place the coated cookie dough balls evenly space out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies have begun to crack on top.Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes. They'll be really soft right out of the oven, but they'll firm up as they cool.
Notes
- You can also roll your cookie dough balls in brown sugar for a more caramel flavor. Or skip the rolling step and bake them without the extra sugar.
- Use unsulphured molasses to avoid a weird chemical taste from sulphured molasses.
- Both light and dark molasses work great in this recipe, but avoid blackstrap molasses since it has a bitter taste.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Maria
I added an egg and they were perfect!
Carissa Erzen
Hi Maria! YUM! I'm so glad to hear that!
Eliza
these chewy molasses cookies are the BEST! I've made them so many times now and they are always a winner!
ordinaryfabgirl
This is such an original idea! I don't really like curries so this probably isn't for me but my family love curries so I'm definitely going to bake them tomorrow for my family. Love this post.😊
strawberryandcream
Nice!! Let me know how they turn out for you!! â¤ï¸
Jim
They look so delicious 😋 I usually put curry in my Japanese curry but cookies sound yummy!
strawberryandcream
Thank you!! If you have extra curry powder, sprinkle some into your cookies! Or maybe even scones, that might be nice! 🥰