These chewy ginger molasses cookies are soft, packed with deep molasses flavor, and get an extra zing from diced pieces of candied ginger.
They’re crowd-pleasers for all ages and can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Jump to Recipe
If you want this recipe to turn out perfectly the first time, check the Table of Contents in the full post for quick links to the most helpful sections.
Cookies are welcome year-round, but I especially enjoy baking them at Christmastime. I prefer festive recipes that are straightforward and don’t require advanced decorating skills.
Alongside these ginger molasses cookies I often make snickerdoodles with dried figs, classic butter cookies rolled in festive sugar, and spiced persimmon cookies during the holidays.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Super easy to make and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Sugared ginger pieces add bold, chewy bursts of ginger in each bite.
- A favorite with kids and adults—simple, comforting, and festive.
- Portable and ideal for cookie exchanges or holiday gatherings.
🧅 Ingredients Tips
Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step directions are available in the recipe card below.
- Dark vs. light molasses — Light molasses is sweeter; dark molasses has a richer, deeper flavor. Both work, but dark will deliver a more robust molasses taste.
- Sugared ginger pieces — Use larger candied ginger chunks, then dice them finely with a sharp knife so they distribute evenly in the dough.
- Warm spices — A classic mix of ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves balances the molasses and brightens the cookie’s flavor.
- Turbinado sugar — This coarse raw sugar is great for rolling the dough and gives a subtle crunchy finish. Granulated sugar works too if needed.
🎯 Why this recipe works
- Combining white sugar with dark molasses tempers the molasses intensity, letting the ginger and spices shine through.
- Beating butter and sugar until light and fluffy adds air to the dough, creating a tender, soft cookie texture.
- Adding the flour mixture on low speed (or folding it in by hand) prevents overworking the gluten and keeps the cookies tender.
- Weighing the flour and dough balls helps ensure consistent results and even baking.
- Rolling uniform dough balls guarantees they bake evenly and look consistent on the cookie sheet.
👩🍳 Cookie Sheet vs. Baking Sheet (Sheet Pan)
- Cookie sheets are rimless and often thicker, which promotes even heat distribution and helps prevent burned bottoms.
- Baking sheets (sheet pans) are rimmed and designed for roasting and tasks that require edges.
🏔️ Making this recipe at high altitude
- At high altitude (example: 7,100 ft), add 1 tablespoon extra unsalted butter to the listed amount for better moisture.
- Bake until the edges begin to firm—about 15 minutes at high altitude—so the centers stay soft without underbaking the edges.
🙋♀️ FAQ
Yes. Roll the dough into individual balls and freeze them on a tray until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to one month. When ready to bake, place frozen balls on a parchment-lined sheet to thaw briefly, roll them in sugar, and bake as directed.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days, or freeze in a sealed container for 2–3 months.
Yes. Substituting brown sugar 1:1 will yield a chewier cookie with a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor.
Blackstrap molasses is very bitter and not recommended for this cookie. Use light or dark molasses instead.
Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Print Recipe
20
10
30
Equipment
-
Kitchen scale
-
Stand mixer (paddle attachment)
-
Cookie sheets
-
Wire rack
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 ¼ cups (10.125 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup sugared ginger chunks cut into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup Turbinado coarse sugar or granulated sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, then mix in the molasses.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour is fully incorporated. Fold in the diced sugared ginger pieces if they weren’t added directly to the mixer.
-
Pour some Turbinado sugar onto a small plate. Using a kitchen scale, portion the dough into 1½-inch balls weighing about 1 ounce each. Roll each ball in the Turbinado sugar and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. To reduce spreading, chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour, covered.
-
Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges begin to set and the cookies are puffed. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
|
Carbohydrates: 16.4 g
|
Protein: 1.2 g
|
Fat: 4.7 g