It's holiday baking season, and if you only make one cookie this year, it absolutely needs to be these Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies. They're soft, spicy, perfectly chewy, and rolled in sugar for just the right touch of sweetness. Then we take them to the next level by dipping them in rich dark chocolate and finishing with a sprinkle of crystallized ginger. Now you've got a cookie-tray showstopper that's downright drool-worthy.
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Every year I come back to this chewy molasses cookie recipe because it feels like the perfect balance of nostalgic holiday flavor and a little grown-up flair. The molasses and spices give you that classic, cozy gingerbread vibe. This year I added the dark chocolate dip and crystallized ginger and that makes them look - and taste - like something straight from a bakery case.
They're simple to make, totally reliable, and the kind of cookie that makes people stop mid-bite and ask, "Wait… what's in these?"
Want more inspo for your holiday baking? Make a batch of our Cookie Dough Truffles to add to your show stopping treat tray.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Unbeatable texture: Soft, chewy centers with lightly crisp, crackly edges. It's everything a perfect molasses cookie should be.
- Elevated flavor: Warm spices and rich molasses meet dark chocolate and crystallized ginger for a bakery-worthy, sweet-spicy balance.
- Total holiday showstopper: Rolled in sugar for sparkle and dipped for drama, they look stunning on cookie trays and always get rave reviews.
Ingredients
These chewy cookies are made with pantry staples and come together in no time.
ingredient notes
- Molasses: I use unsulphured molasses for mild molasses flavor with the right amount of sweetness. Blackstrap Molasses is too bitter for this recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for these cookies. Make sure you spoon and level (or weigh) your flour instead of scooping it up with the measuring cup.
- Spices: Ginger and cinnamon give the perfect holiday flavor. You can swap some of the cinnamon for nutmeg if you want that fall trifecta of flavor.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies some height.
- Butter: Room temperature Unsalted butter is best for baking but salted can be used with great results. Just omit the additional salt from the recipe.
- Salt: Adds balance to the sweet and spice.
- Egg: Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily with the butter and sugars.
- Sugars: Brown sugar and white sugar combine to give the cookie its chew. I used dark brown sugar for more molasses flavor, but use what you have on hand.
- Vanilla: I used vanilla paste because I had some on hand, but regular vanilla extract works too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Cream
Cream the butter and sugars together in a medium bowl until they are well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the molasses
Add the egg, molasses and vanilla to the creamed butter mixture. Mix well until fully incorporated. This takes a little longer due to the amount of liquid.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients
Add the dry ingredients and mix until completely combined. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
Step 4: Roll
Scoop a tablespoon and a half of cookie dough and roll in a ball. Roll in granulated sugar and set on a baking tray.
Step 5: Crinkle
When cookies are done, remove from the oven and invert a funnel, cookie cutter or glass around the edge and swirl to get the classic crinkle top and perfectly round cookies.
Dip & Sprinkle
Once the cookies have completely cooled, dip them in dark chocolate for a little extra pizzazz. Melt chocolate chips or chopped chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil until smooth, then dip one end of each cookie and finish with a sprinkle of crystallized ginger. This simple step adds a swoon-worthy touch and turns them into perfect edible gifts.
How to Gift These Cookies
These cookies hold up incredibly well in gift boxes and tins.
Pair them with:
- A festive mug
- Hot cocoa mix
- A handwritten note
- Ribbon + parchment paper
They're the kind of cookie people remember.
FAQs
No and don't use blackstrap molasses in this cookie recipe. Unsulphured molasses is sweeter and has a purer molasses flavor making it perfect for baking. Blackstrap molasses has a strong bitter flavor.
Refined coconut oil has a milder scent and flavor, while unrefined coconut oil is minimally processed and has a strong coconut flavor. I use refined coconut oil so the coconut taste is not present.
1.Chill the dough well before rolling in sugar.
2.Shape the dough slightly oblong and place it tall-side up on the baking sheet.
3.After baking, swirl a biscuit cutter or funnel around each cookie to tighten the edges and deepen the crinkles.
Top Tips for the best cookies
- Start with room-temperature ingredients.
This helps the butter cream properly and ensures the dough mixes evenly for the best chewy texture. - Use a food scale for accuracy.
Weighing your flour prevents dense, dry cookies, and weighing dough balls keeps every cookie the same size for consistent baking. - Bake one pan at a time.
Even oven circulation ensures every batch bakes evenly, giving you perfect crackly tops and uniform texture. - Swirl with an inverted funnel or biscuit cutter.
Right out of the oven, gently "circle" each cookie to create perfectly round edges and deepen those signature crinkles. - Freeze the dough ahead of time.
Roll into balls and freeze and then thaw in the fridge and bake. Add a couple extra minutes and enjoy fresh-from-the-oven cookies anytime, especially for unexpected guests
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Recipe
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour (281 grams)
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- 3 ounces dark chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- crystallized ginger
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Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.2¼ cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy, mix for 2 minutes.12 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Add the molasses, egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. This will take a little longer to get it evenly mixed.⅓ cup unsulphured molasses, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Chill the dough for 2 hours.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and portion dough into 1 ½ tablespoons (35 grams). Roll the dough into slighlty oblong balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart and bake on cool cookie sheets one tray at a time. I place 8 cookies on a half sheet pan so they don't touch.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and invert a funnel or biscuit cutter around the top of each cookie and swirl to create deep crinkles and clean edges.
- Cool cookies completely.
- If wanted you can dip the cookies in chocolate once they are conpletely cooled.Combine dark chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl and melt at 50% percent power in the microwave for 1 min and stir until smooth. Dip the edge of a cooled cookie in the chocolate and sprinkle with crystallized ginger.3 ounces dark chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon coconut oil, crystallized ginger
Notes
- Molasses: I use unsulphured molasses for mild molasses flavor with the right amount of sweetness. Blackstrap Molasses is too bitter for this recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect for these cookies. Make sure you spoon and level (or weigh) your flour instead of scooping it up with the measuring cup.
- Spices: Ginger and cinnamon give the perfect holiday flavor. You can swap some of the cinnamon for nutmeg if you want that fall trifecta of flavor.
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies some height.
- Butter: Room temperature Unsalted butter is best for baking but salted can be used with great results, just omit the additional salt from the recipe.
- Salt: Adds balance to the sweet and spice.
- Egg: Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily with the butter and sugars.
- Sugars: Brown Sugar and white sugar combine to give the cookie its chew. I used dark brown sugar for more molasses flavor, but use what you have on hand.
- Vanilla: I used vanilla paste because I had some on hand, regular vanilla extract works too.
2.Shape the dough slightly oblong and place it tall-side up on the baking sheet.
3.After baking, swirl a biscuit cutter or funnel around each cookie to tighten the edges and deepen the crinkles.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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