Homemade soft molasses cookies with crackly tops are super chewy and perfectly spiced. They stay seriously soft for days—if they last that long—and are always a holiday favorite.
Molasses cookies have always been my top choice because they bring me right back to my childhood. I grew up helping my mom bake them. After rolling the dough in the sugar and watching them bake through the little oven window, my sweet reward was biting into a warm cookie fresh from the oven. In addition to the nostalgia, the soft texture paired with cozy molasses puts them above any other cookie.
Sorry, chocolate chip cookies, you don’t even compare.
Molasses Cookie Comparison
Since they’re a favorite, I have plenty of gingersnap/molasses cookie recipes on my website and in my cookbooks. Most stem from the same-ish recipe with the exception of the crisp variety. Let’s review what makes each one individually and undeniably delicious:
- Soft White Chocolate Chip Molasses Cookies: Studded with white chocolate chips, these cookies are lusciously soft and mega chewy. You’ll love the combination of cozy spices and white chocolate.
- Ginger Pistachio Cookies: I add salty pistachios to my mom’s classic recipe. These ginger molasses cookies are soft, salty, sweet, and spiced. Find this recipe in Sally’s Cookie Addiction cookbook.
- Crisp Molasses Cookies: Another favorite! These are extra crisp. If you’re looking for a crunchy molasses cookie, this one’s for you—they actually snap when you break them!
- Chocolate Ginger Cookies: These are an elevated twist to our classic molasses cookies. You’ll appreciate the added cocoa flavor and how they are beautifully finished with dark chocolate and crystallized ginger.
- Gingerbread Blossoms: Think of this recipe as a new take on these holiday-favorite spiced soft molasses cookies, with the chocolatey appeal of peanut butter blossoms. They capture so many of the things we love this time of year—warm spice; cozy molasses; a soft, chewy texture; and a melty chocolate kiss in the center.
If I had to choose, I would always reach for my mom’s recipe that lives in Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook. Nothing compares to mom’s.
What Makes These Molasses Cookies Different?
Another molasses cookie recipe? Yes! These cookies are different from my other varieties and here’s why: they’re soft, crackly, and chewier than all the rest. I used my gingerbread blossoms recipe as a starting point. My goal was to produce a flatter, chewier cookie with the same amount of softness. To accomplish this, I used the same ingredients but slightly altered the ratios:
- Flour: I reduced the flour considerably to yield a flatter cookie.
- Baking Soda: To avoid a super flat and overly greasy cookie, I increased the baking soda. Need that lift!
- Spices: Same amount. This careful blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is exactly what every molasses cookie needs!
- Butter, Brown Sugar, Egg, + Vanilla: Same amounts. Brown sugar is what helps produce the softest molasses cookie ever. (In fact, it’s the first thing I changed when making my crisp molasses cookies.)
- Molasses: Make sure you’re using unsulphured or dark molasses, but do not use blackstrap because it is too intense for these cookies.
Mission accomplished. These cookies are mega chewy, mega soft, and mega crackly!
Which Molasses Do I Use?
There are varying intensities of molasses on store shelves from lighter molasses to blackstrap molasses. Go for an unsulphured or dark molasses, also sold as “robust” molasses. Blackstrap molasses can be quite intense—I don’t bake with it too often.
I’m not working with any of these companies, but I prefer Grandma’s, Brer Rabbit, or Wholesome brands. Wholesome’s organic molasses is super dark, so it will make your cookies a little darker. Look how dark it makes my spiced gingerbread loaf. As opposed to the same recipe as a cake (gingerbread cake) made with Grandma’s brand. What a difference in color!
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the wet ingredients together.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Chill cookie dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll cookie dough into balls. Use about 1 Tablespoon of dough per cookie.
- Generously roll each cookie dough ball in granulated sugar. For sparkle, of course!
- Bake. The cookies will puff up as they bake then gently sink back down. This is what creates those familiar crinkles and crackles we love. If your cookies aren’t cracking, gently bang the cookie sheet on the counter 2–3x which will help those warm cookies spread and crack on top. See recipe direction #5.
This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe because the cookies stay seriously soft for days (if they last that long!).
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Seriously Soft Molasses Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 30-32 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These seriously soft molasses cookies are the most tender and chewy gingersnap cookies around!
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Rolling
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated or coarse sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour and up to 2–3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 2 hours, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The cookies may not spread in the oven if the dough is that cold. Roll cookie dough, 1 Tablespoon each, into balls. Roll each in granulated sugar and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11–12 minutes or until edges appear set. If the tops aren’t appearing cracked as pictured, remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently bang it on the counter 2–3x. This will help those warm cookies spread out and crack on top. Return to the oven for 1 additional minute.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. Unbaked cookie dough balls (before rolling in sugar) will freeze well for up to 3 months. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, preheat the oven, then roll in granulated sugar. Bake as directed. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe delivered as promised! Crispy on the outside, tender inside, and nicely spiced!!
This is Seriously Successful recipe. They come out perfect every time and everyone loves them. It is has been a “go to” for me for several years now. Thank you!
I made these weighed everything on the scale and they turned out bland. I did not like this recipe at all.
Just meh :/ not worth baking honestly
A totally delicious, soft molasses cookie exactly as written!
I love that I can always rely on Sally’s for great recipes. I added a 1/8 teaspoon of orange zest to kick them up a notch and another 1/4 teaspoon of ginger. They are awesome!
Hello! Would it work okay to roll the dough out and use cookie cutters for it? Thank you!
Hi Paige! This dough would spread too much. Here’s our gingerbread cookies recipe.
I don’t have any clove or ginger so could I add 1 tsp of All Spice to it and still have a good outcome with these cookies?
Can you use salted butter and omitte the salt? From this molasses recipe?
Hi Terry, yes, you can.
Could I add a couple tablespoons of bourbon to the recipe? Would it make the dough too soft?
Hi Andrew, we haven’t tested it so are unsure of the results, but you would likely need to add some extra flour to make up for the added liquid. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Do you have a recommendation for egg substitute? I want to make these for a friend who has egg & soy allergy.
Hi Becca! We haven’t tested it, but would try an egg substitute like a “flax egg”. Let us know if you try!
If making 3 batches, would you suggest doing 3x all ingredients in one big batch, or making the recipe 3 separate times? Thank you!
Hi Jen! Cookie recipes usually double well, as long as your mixer can handle the volume. A double batch is feasible for most mixers, but a triple batch may be too big.
I love this recipe. This will be my 4th year making them. However when I made them today they all just turned to pancakes. Any ideas where u went wrong. I tried to chill the remaining dough for longer but it didn’t help.
Hi Rosie, thank you for giving these a try! We’re glad you enjoyed them. If you had troubles with the cookies spreading, it sounds like your butter may have been a bit too warm. Here’s more about what room temperature butter really means, as well as our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading. Hope this is helpful!
I had the same problem last night! Trying to figure out what I did wrong!
Made these last night, I added 1/4 cup candied ginger and 1/2 tsp allspice in place of nutmeg & cloves. So delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
These were just delicious….I didn’t have any nutmeg or cloves, so I added 1/2 tsp allspice.
Could I chill this dough in logs, slice, roll the slices into balls? Refrigerator space is a very tight, I can’t refrigerate the bowl I mix this in.
Hi Penny, you could roll the dough into balls before chilling, if needed.
I have made this recipe gluten free. I use king Arthur measure for measure gluten free flour. The only thing I have modified is it use 1/2 cup of molasses over 1/3 cup. I have also shared this recipe with family and they love them.
Hi! Can you add white chocolate chips to these?
Hi June, Absolutely! 1 cup should be enough. (180-185g)
Can you suggest a substitute for Steen syrup? I believe they stopped making it & wondering what would taste like it/the same??
Hi Sherry, We use unsulphured or dark molasses in these cookies.
Would this recipe work with cookie cutters?
Hi Emily, we don’t recommend this dough for use with cookie cutters as it will still spread too much and won’t hold shape. You might enjoy our gingerbread recipe instead!
Can I substitute gluten free flour 1:1?
Hi Brenda, we haven’t tested a gluten-free version of this recipe, but many of our readers have had success with a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. Let us know if you give it a try!
I tried it with bob’s GF flour and it worked just fine!
Good and easy, but I made some additions ; ) I added ginger paste, doubled the spices, added black pepper and candied ginger bits. Rolled in rough sugar mixed with spice ; ) and pressed the balls of dough with my hand ; )
Can I use Bobs 1to 1 gluten free baking flour?
Hi Maria, we haven’t tested a gluten-free version of this recipe, but many of our readers have had success with a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. Let us know if you give it a try!
I have used King Arthur’s Measure for measure gluten free flour for this recipe and the turn out amazing!
My aunt found this recipe and we made them during our annual December baking time together. They are delicious but came out flat. Any suggestions for the next time we bake these?
Here’s our best tips for preventing cookies from spreading for your next batch – the most common culprit is starting with too-warm butter!
Hi! I made your vanilla sugar and always wonder when I should use it up. Should I use it here, or is rolling in that be too “wasteful” of flavor? I worry the spiced cookie may overpower the vanilla sugar.
Thanks for all your many recipes and cookbooks!
Hi, good question! We would recommend using vanilla sugar in recipes that don’t have a strong spice or molasses flavor that would overpower it. Something like shortbread cookies, sugar cookies, or lemon cookies would be a great choice. Hope this helps!
These turned out beautifully! I rolled them in Turbinado sugar for that chunky look and it worked out very well. Thanks for another winner, Sally!
Wow! These cookies are just simply amazing! Sally, thank you for sharing this award winning recipe! Merry Christmas!
The absolute BEST!!!! Obsessed. Can’t stop making them. I’m in trouble with these.
The cookies are definitely soft, but they lacked the spicy bite a good ginger/molasses cookie should have, IMHO. Our family found the texture to be soft but not chewy, and the cookies to be bland in flavor. Made exactly as directed by the recipe. Maybe you could add a note for people who like more traditional cookies with more spicy bite?
For a spicy bite to your cookie, try adding a pinch of black pepper to the spices.
This was very tasty! But I have a new convection oven and the cookies did not rise much. Reduced the temp by 25 degrees and the time to 9:00 min and they were flat. Ideas ?
Hi Karen, we always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. Here’s our best tips for preventing cookies from spreading. Hope this helps for next time!
What would you do to make this recipe vegan and gluten free?
Hi Marilyn, We haven’t tried these gluten free and vegan. If you wish to try it you would want to replace the egg with a vegan substitute (like flax egg) instead of leaving it out completely. We haven’t tested this so we are unsure of the results, but let us know if you do!
These are my hubby (of 50 plus years lol), very favorite cookies!