Soft Baked Ginger Molasses (Printable)

Soft, chewy bites blended with ginger, spices, and rich molasses for a cozy, flavorful treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar

# How-To:

01 - Set oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to butter mixture. Beat until fully blended.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll into balls, then coat each in granulated sugar.
07 - Place dough balls two inches apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
09 - Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They stay soft for days, which means you can bake ahead without anyone noticing they aren't fresh from the oven.
  • The spice blend is bold but not sharp, so even people who think they don't like ginger end up reaching for seconds.
  • Rolling the dough in sugar is weirdly satisfying, and the sparkly coating crisps just enough to contrast the chewy center.
02 -
  • The dough will look greasy and loose after you add the molasses, but it comes together once the flour goes in. Don't panic and add more flour or you'll regret it.
  • These cookies continue to bake on the hot pan after they come out of the oven, so pulling them when the centers look underdone is the secret to keeping them soft.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to keep the dough balls uniform so they bake evenly. I resisted buying one for years and now I can't imagine rolling cookies without it.
  • If your molasses bottle is impossible to pour from, warm it in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. It'll pour like honey instead of tar and you won't lose half of it to the side of the measuring cup.
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