Desserts · Vegetarian · Make ahead · Fall

Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger, cinnamon and dark molasses flavour these sugar-coated cookies. Chill the dough before baking in batches for soft centres and gently set edges.

Recipe by Tasty Recipes

Published

2 hr 35 minMakes 32 cookies
Timing breakdown · 7 timed stages

Allow about 2 hours 35 minutes: 30 minutes active preparation and shaping, 1 hour chilling, about 40 minutes for three baking batches and tray changes, and 25 minutes cooling the final batch. Start with softened butter and a room-temperature egg. Longer chilling or extra trays need additional time.

Preparation
30 min
Cooking
40 min
Cooking Step 1
2 minutes
Preparation / waiting Step 2
1 minute
Chilling Step 3
1 hour
Baking Step 5
11 to 12 minutes
Cooking Step 5
5 minutes
Preparation / waiting Step 5
40 minutes
Resting / cooling Step 6
20 minutes

Durations are taken from the method and may overlap. Some preparation steps are not timed. Optional stages are separate from the main meal.

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Sugar-coated brown ginger molasses cookies on a cream plate, with a small stack and one broken cookie showing its soft baked centre

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How to make Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

  1. 01

    Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in one bowl. In another, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and 50 g granulated sugar for about 2 minutes.

  2. 02

    Mix the molasses into the butter mixture. Add the egg and vanilla, beat for about 1 minute and scrape the bowl. Add the dry mixture on low speed just until no dry flour remains.

  3. 03

    Cover the sticky dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Do not taste the raw dough. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling raw flour and egg.

  4. 04

    Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Put the remaining 67 g sugar in a shallow bowl. Shape generous tablespoon portions of dough into balls and coat with sugar; expect about 30 to 32 cookies. Leave 3 inches (7.5 cm) between them on the first tray. Keep unused dough refrigerated.

  5. 05

    Bake one tray at a time for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set. Let the cookies sit on their tray for 5 minutes before moving them to a rack. Repeat with the remaining dough, using a fully cooled tray for each batch. Allow about 40 minutes for three batches and tray changes; more batches take longer.

  6. 06

    Cool the last batch for about 20 minutes on the rack after its 5-minute tray rest. The centres firm as the cookies cool. Pack only once completely cool.

Recipe questions

Which molasses should I buy?

Choose unsulphured regular or dark molasses. Blackstrap is more bitter and is not the molasses used for this recipe.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Keep the covered dough refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days. If chilled for longer than 2 hours, allow about 30 minutes at room temperature before shaping. Add that allowance to the stated timing.

Why is my dough sticky?

This dough is sticky before chilling. Weigh the flour, use softened rather than melted butter, and keep the one-hour chill. Adding extra flour changes the texture.

How should I store the cookies?

Let them cool completely, then keep covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for serving.

What else can I bake for autumn?

Try our maple pecan scones for a breakfast bake, or pumpkin pancakes for a weekend morning. These cookies contain wheat, milk and egg.

Cooking & storage

Use the recipe’s specific storage directions when provided. Read the food storage guide for chilling and reheating food, and the measures guide before changing portions or ingredients.

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These are household reports and estimates, not verified public reviews or current store prices.

Adapted from Sally McKenney at Sally’s Baking, with gram measurements and a full allowance for chilling, three baking batches and cooling.

Adapted from Sally McKenney at Sally’s Baking.

Additional guidance: King Arthur Baking: shaping, sugar-coating and cooling ginger molasses cookies · FDA: handling raw flour and cookie dough safely

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