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The BEST Chewy Molasses Cookie Recipe

These cookies are perfect for potlucks, dinner parties, holidays, cookie jars, making the house smell great! They don't take much time, so they're great for a little light baking when you have an hour to spend in the kitchen.

Course Dessert
Keyword Molasses Cookies
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Author Amalia Magner

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
  • 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/3 cup molasses light or dark
  • 1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar light or dark
  • coarse sanding sugar, raw sugar, or granulated white sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

  1. Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, mix egg, butter, granulated sugar, molasses, and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl.

  3. Mix in dry ingredients just to combine.

  4. Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls (if dough is sticky, chill 20 minutes). Roll in sugar and place on 2 parchment-lined or greased baking sheets, spacing 2” apart.

  5. Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed, cracked, and just set around edges (overbaked cookies won’t be chewy), 8–10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

  6. Make ahead! To be used in the next day or two:

    Roll cookie dough into balls, coat with sugar, and place in pie-plat, single or double layer, covered. Let sit out 15-30 minutes before cooking.

  7. Make ahead! To be used later on:

    Cookie dough can be made and rolled into balls 2 weeks ahead. Freeze on a baking sheet; transfer to resealable plastic bags. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before rolling in sugar.

Recipe Notes

When you want to use the dough later roll them into the balls, coat them in sugar, and put the cookie dough in the refrigerator, ready to be taken out and used! But when you do take them out, remember to let them thaw for 15-30 minutes before putting them in the oven. When you don't let them thaw they stay smaller, and although they're still soft, they aren't as chewy.