Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies: This recipe is easy to make, with no need to chill the dough. The cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, with just the right amount of spices and molasses – the ultimate fall and holiday cookie!

a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background

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I don’t recall ever really liking ginger cookies when I was growing up. And I believe the biggest reason why is that whenever I was offered one, it was always a very hard cookie. A dunking sort of cookie. It’s why they call those cookies gingersnaps, because they “snap” when you break them in half. 

And hard cookies just aren’t my thing. Unless we’re talking about buttery shortbread cookies. In that case, I can definitely make an exception. 

But in general, I like my cookies soft and chewy. 

So when I was introduced to a super soft and chewy ginger cookie during my 30’s, my world was turned upside down. I questioned why it had taken so long for me to know this was actually a thing. 

It’s taken me a number of years to get this recipe the way I want it. But I’m happy to say that this is now my favorite recipe for Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies. Our whole family is quite smitten with these, and I’m confident you’ll like them too!

a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a cooling rack

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

There’s no hiding it. I’m pretty excited to finally put closure on my ginger cookies recipe pursuit. For many years, come fall and the holiday season, I’ve played around with this recipe. 

Now…to get a chocolate chip cookie recipe perfected in the same way. An easy-to-make recipe that passes all of our family’s criteria for soft, chewy, buttery, and chocolatey. We’ll get there, I promise!

ginger molasses cookie dough rolled into balls and dipped in sugar, on a marble counter

How to make ginger molasses cookies

One of the reasons I’m so thrilled about this recipe is that there’s no need to chill the dough.

Can I get an Amen?!

I get why certain recipes call for this step. I really do. But my goal for this recipe was for it to be easy and fairly quick. So I knew I wanted to eliminate any need for refrigerator chilling time.  

Besides molasses and a few warm spices, all that’s required to make these soft ginger cookies are the typical cookie making ingredients. 

Also: If you don’t own at least a couple different sizes of scoops, I highly recommend these handy kitchen tools. I use them all the time. Not only are they great for portioning cookie dough, but I also like to use them to fill muffin and cupcake papers, and to size meatballs. I used this scoop for these cookies, which holds about 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough. 

a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background

Since perfecting this molasses cookies recipe, I’ve made several batches. Just to be absolutely sure they baked up the same way each and every time. I heard no complaints from any member of this household, just so you know. 

I am 100% confident that if you have been looking for soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies, and that if you follow this recipe exactly, you’ll be 100% happy. 

a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background, one cookie has a big bite out of it

Soft, chewy molasses cookies with the beautiful zing of ginger. Aren’t they so pretty, with those fun cracks zig-zagging across their tops?

EVERYONE deserves to know the happiness created from a batch of these cookies!

a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background

When it comes to the holidays and sweet treats, our family has quite a number of favorite recipes. Be sure to also check out these:

Like these ginger cookies? Pin it!

a batch of soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

These cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, with just the right amount of spices and molasses. And they're easy to make, with no need to chill the dough!

Yield: 30 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 54 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-1/4 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 c. light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 c. mild molasses
  • sugar, for rolling dough balls in

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until incorporated. Then beat on medium-high for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through, until mixture is somewhat light and fluffy.
  4. Add egg and molasses, and beat on medium-low until incorporated.
  5. Add combined dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
  6. With your hands, roll dough into balls that are 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" in size. I like to use a medium scoop to evenly portion the dough. Then roll dough balls in a small bowl of sugar. Place sugared dough balls on baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake for 8 minutes. Cracks should start forming on the tops of the cookies during the final minute or so of baking, and will continue to form as the cookies cool outside the oven. For the softest, chewiest cookies, take care to not over bake. Remove pan from oven and let cookies sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Notes

from a farmgirl's dabbles

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 162 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 18mg Sodium: 159mg Carbohydrates: 23g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 6g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

Did you make this recipe?

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© A Farmgirl's Dabbles
Cuisine American / Category: Cookies
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies from afarmgirlsdabbles.com - This recipe is easy to make, with no need to chill the dough. The cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, with just the right amount of spices and molasses - the ultimate fall and holiday cookie! #cookie #cookies #ginger #molasses #chewy #soft #baking #christmas #holiday #spiced #recipe
a batch of ginger molasses cookies on a dark blue background

This post was previously published in 2010. Since then, the recipe has been improved and revised. The recipe, photographs, and text were updated in 2018.

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posted December 12, 2018 in Christmas, Cookies, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday
78 Comments »