Is it too bold to declare an all time favorite cookie?
You know I love a good old fashioned oatmeal cookie, but I daresay these molasses ginger cookies are the new favorite. About 10 years ago, somebody suggested I take a spoonful of molasses with some milk to treat anemia, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Easy on the eyes – I think I’ll award points for good looks too. Notice how there are 2 types of sugar? Rolling the dough before baking creates this cool effect where every cookie bakes into something unpredictable and unique.
Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
Every recipe I share is tested until it meets my high standards. When it comes to cookies especially, I’m a bit of a mad scientist. Fortunately, I think this recipe is extremely easy and straightforward…
Recipe Snapshot
Star Ingredient: molasses and ginger
Flavor Affinities: MOLASSES + GINGER + CINNAMON + BROWN SUGAR
Function: warming
Tastes: sweet and savory, plus a “false” heat from spicy ginger
Textures: chewy, soft
Ease: easy
Method: baked
Wisdom: Unsulphured molasses lends deep, rich flavor that lingers for several moments after each bite.
What you need to know:
Step 1: You just stir together the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Then you work in the softened butter.
Step 3: Swirl in the liquids (milk, molasses).
You will need either a spatula to mix everything or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. As the dough thickens, get in there with your hands, squeezing to really combine everything.
Since it’s easier to work with a chilled dough, plan on refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours.
Make Ahead:
You can make the dough 1-3 days ahead and store in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap. Since this recipe yields about 47 cookies, you could bake half the cookies same-day and wait a couple days to bake the rest.
Store the Cookies
Stack the cookies in a tall box or store in sealed bags. They will keep for a good week.
How to Roll the Dough in the Sugar
Watch this quick how-to video on how to form the cookies.
These are amazingly tender and moist hot out of the oven. Let them cool at least 5 minutes before eating. Let me know if these are your new favorites too:)
Molasses Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole wheate flour
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Soften the Butter
- Remove butter to soften. This takes about 1 hour. As an alternative, you can place the butter in the microwave on defrost for 15 seconds.
Make the Dough
- Start by adding the flours, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. If you don't have a stand mixer, just do this in a bowl with a spatula.
- Stir at medium speed until combined. Add soft (not liquid) butter and beat for 2 minutes. Add molasses and milk. At this point, the dough will be easier to work with if you stir it a bit and then switch to using your hands, squeezing just to combine everything.
- Divide the dough into 2 balls. Wrap each portion with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F and move the rack to the center of your oven. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1-Tablespoon measuring spoon to form approximately 47 balls. Roll and dip the balls into granulated sugar followed by powdered sugar. Place 2-inches apart and bake for 12 minutes. The cookies will appear slightly soft in the center. That's ok, they will firm up a bit as they cool. Wait 5 minutes before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!
Gosh your recipes sound so good especially the angel food cake and the Vietnamese coffee. Yummy. My Molasses Sugar Cookie recipe is very old and somewhat different than yours. The quantity is smaller ( 1/4 c. molasses, 1 cup regular sugar, an egg, 3/4 c shortening, of course flour, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and salt. However I doubled the recipe since the 3 children loved the cookies so much. They are chilled like yours are and then forming balls, rolling in sugar and then baking them on a greased pan. The last time I made these wonderful cookies was when the… Read more »
It’s a toss up between these molasses cookies and that angel food cake…so good.
Based on your version, it sounds like the main difference is the ratio of sugar. Mine has a combination of brown sugar + molasses and yours uses white sugar + molasses (less over-all). How this would affect the cookies is in the texture. Likely, your cookies have more crunch than chew. Mine have more caramel notes and savory depth. I’d love for you to do a side by side comparison and tell me which you prefer.