Name: Ginger Molasses Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 45
Ingredients: 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup molasses; 2 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground cloves; 1 tsp ground ginger; 2 large eggs; 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar (for coating)

These are the best, soft ginger molasses cookies that are perfect for the holidays and a must for your Christmas cookie exchange.

It’s officially December! Are you ready for Christmas cookies?

We make cookies as part of our Christmas tree decorating tradition, and this year I knew I wanted to make a batch of ginger cookies. They came out so soft and delicious, I knew I had to share the recipe with you. You’ll find the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.

Table of Contents

Perfect Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

This delicious cookie recipe is perfect for people who think they don’t like ginger cookies.

Don’t get thrown off by the molasses. It’s a natural sweetener with a deep flavor that brings out the spices in this cookie beautifully.

When I first told my girls I was making ginger molasses cookies, they were less than excited and informed me that they weren’t fans.

No worries, I told them. I love ginger cookies, and I’m sure the teachers at their school would appreciate some cookies being dropped off in their lounge. And, after baking 45 cookies, I was sure there would be plenty.

Nope. We managed to easily wipe out an entire batch of these cookies in just over a day. Don’t judge. They’re just that good!

What You’ll Need:

Softened butter
white granulated sugar
molasses
2 eggs
ground ginger, cloves, and cinnamon
salt
baking soda
all-purpose flour (unbleached recommended)
parchment paper or silicone baking mat (or grease your cookie sheet)
turbinado sugar

How are these different from regular ginger cookies?

This was a question I had, too, when I first started searching for ginger cookie recipes. It turns out there really isn’t that big of a difference between the two.

Most ginger cookie recipes include molasses as an ingredient which gives the cookies a rich, deep flavor.

These ginger molasses cookies use a little more molasses than a standard ginger cookie – a half cup instead of the quarter cup that I see most ginger cookie recipes using.

This recipe was adapted from the Soft Molasses Cookie recipe from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion (affiliate link)

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Yield: 45 Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Super soft, but not cumbly, these ginger molasses cookies are holiday cookie perfection.

For flatter cookies, decrease baking soda by 1/4 tsp and use your hand or a spatula to flatten on cookie sheet prior to baking.

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Turbinado sugar (for coating)

Instructions

In large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together til light and fluffy
Add molasses while coninueing to mix on low, followed by baking soda, salt, and all the spices. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed
Add eggs one at a time while continueing to mix. Make sure the first egg is completely incorporated before adding the next
Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed well.
Stir in the flour until well combined
Cover bowl and refigerate for 1 hour
Preheat oven to 350
Line metal baking sheets with parchment paper (or grease well).
Shape tablespoons of dough into balls (about the size of ping pong balls)
Roll in turbinado sugar to coat
Arrange on cookie sheet with about 2 inches between cookies
Bake for 10-12 minutes
Cool cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack.
Enjoy!