The Best Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

These chewy ginger molasses cookies are perfectly spiced, wonderfully soft, and utterly irresistible. Your new favorite holiday cookie awaits!

What Makes These Cookies Special

These chewy ginger molasses cookies are everything you want in a spice cookie—crispy edges that give way to the softest, chewiest centers, with warm ginger, cinnamon, and molasses creating the coziest flavor you can imagine. They’re the cookies that disappear fastest at every gathering.

I’ve been making these soft ginger molasses cookies every fall for the past decade, and honestly? They’ve ruined all other ginger cookies for me. There’s something magical about how the molasses creates this deep, almost caramel-like sweetness that plays beautifully with the spicy kick of ginger and cloves.

The best part? That crackled sugar coating that catches the light and crunches perfectly before you hit the tender center. If you’re into cookies with serious texture, you’ll also love my brown butter espresso chocolate chip cookies—they’ve got that same chewy magic going on.

Why You’ll Love This Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe

Soft and chewy ginger cookies are having a moment in my kitchen, and here’s why you’re about to join the fan club:

• That texture though: Crispy edges, chewy centers, and those gorgeous cracks on top that scream “homemade perfection”
• Spice level is just right: Warm without being overwhelming—even spice-skeptics ask for seconds
• They actually stay soft: None of that rock-hard disappointment three days later
• Crowd-pleaser power: I’ve never met someone who didn’t love these
• Make-ahead friendly: The dough chills beautifully, so you can portion and bake whenever the craving hits

Here’s my little baking confession: the first time I made these, I didn’t chill the dough properly (impatient baker syndrome, anyone?). The cookies spread into one giant cookie blob. Now I’m religious about that 2-hour chill—it’s non-negotiable for those perfect puffy cookies.

According to King Arthur Baking, chilling cookie dough not only prevents spreading but also deepens the flavors as the ingredients have time to meld together.

Nutritional Peek

Here’s what you’re working with per cookie (based on 42 cookies):

Nutrient	Per Cookie
Calories	145
Protein	2g
Carbohydrates	22g
Fat	6g
Fiber	0.5g
Sugar	12g

Note: These are approximate values. Feel free to enjoy these treats mindfully!

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Ingredients

Making these soft and chewy ginger cookies requires just a handful of pantry staples—nothing fancy, I promise!

Amount	Ingredient
1½ cups (340g)	Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200g)	Granulated white sugar
1 cup (213g)	Packed brown sugar
½ cup (170g)	Unsulphured molasses (this is key—the sulphured kind can taste bitter)
2	Large eggs
4½ cups (639g)	All-purpose flour
4 teaspoons	Baking soda (yes, 4! It’s not a typo—this creates those beautiful cracks)
1 tablespoon	Ground ginger (use fresh if you’ve got it for extra zing)
2 teaspoons	Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon	Ground cloves
1 teaspoon	Fine sea salt
Extra	Granulated sugar for rolling

Ingredient insider tip: Room temperature butter is crucial here—it should leave a slight indent when you press it, but not be greasy. If you forget to take it out ahead of time, cut it into small cubes and let it sit for 15 minutes. And speaking of perfectly measured ingredients, if you’re looking for more precision baking, check out my chocolate peanut butter mug cake where measurements really matter!

Equipment You’ll Need

Essential:

• Medium mixing bowl for dry ingredients
• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Sheet pans (at least 2)
• Parchment paper
• Wire cooling rack
• Small bowl for sugar coating

Nice to Have:

• Cookie scoop (makes perfectly uniform cookies every time)
• Silicone baking mats (reusable alternative to parchment)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make these chewy ginger molasses cookies together—I’ll walk you through every step like we’re baking side by side.

Step 1: Mix the Dry Team
In your medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Give it a good whisking to make sure everything’s evenly distributed—you don’t want a surprise clove bomb in one cookie. Set this aside while we work on the fun part.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
Grab your stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer. Toss in the softened butter along with both sugars. Beat them on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. You’re looking for light, fluffy, and pale yellow—almost like buttercream frosting.

This step incorporates air, which helps create that tender texture we’re after.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Molasses
Turn the mixer down to medium-low and add your eggs one at a time, letting each one incorporate fully before adding the next. Then pour in that gorgeous dark molasses. (Fair warning: molasses is sticky business—spray your measuring cup with cooking spray first and it’ll slide right out.) Mix until everything’s combined and looking glossy.

Step 4: Bring It All Together
Gradually add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. You don’t want to overmix here—just beat until you can’t see any more flour streaks. The dough will be soft and quite sticky at this point. Trust the process!

Step 5: The Patience Game (Chill Time)
Transfer your dough to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. I know, I know—waiting is hard. But this is where the magic happens. The dough firms up so the cookies hold their shape, and the flavors get cozy with each other.

Sometimes I make the dough the night before and bake fresh in the morning. (The dough can chill for up to 3 days, by the way.)

Step 6: Prep for Baking
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your sheet pans with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with granulated sugar for rolling—this creates that signature sparkly coating.

Step 7: Roll and Coat
Scoop out portions of dough and roll them into balls about 1 inch in diameter (roughly the size of a walnut). Roll each ball generously in the sugar bowl until it’s completely coated—don’t be shy here, that sugar coating is what creates the beautiful crackled top.

Place them on your prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (They’ll spread, but not dramatically.)

Step 8: Bake to Perfection
Slide your sheet pan into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. You’re looking for cookies that are just beginning to crack on top—they’ll still look slightly underdone in the center, and that’s exactly what you want.

They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven. (If you bake them until they look completely done, you’ll end up with hockey pucks, and nobody wants that.)

Step 9: The Hardest Part—Cooling
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes. This is crucial! They need this time to set up, or they’ll fall apart when you try to move them. Then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely, where they’ll develop even more of those gorgeous cracks.

Step 10: Enjoy Warm
Serve these beauties while they’re still slightly warm if you can. They’re absolutely perfect with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. Store any leftovers (as if there will be any!) in a sealed container for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Pro Tips & Guidance

Here’s what I’ve learned from years of making these soft ginger molasses cookies:

The Butter Situation: Room temperature really means room temperature—not melted, not cold. If your butter is too soft, the cookies will spread too much. Too cold, and they won’t incorporate properly. Aim for about 65-68°F.

Don’t Skip the Chill: I can’t stress this enough. Cold dough = taller, chewier cookies with better texture. Even if you’re in a rush, give it at least 2 hours.

The Underbake is Real: These cookies look underdone when you pull them out, but they’ll firm up as they cool. According to America’s Test Kitchen, residual heat continues cooking the cookies on the sheet pan, and pulling them “early” prevents overbaking.

Sugar Rolling Technique: Really press those dough balls into the sugar. The more coating, the better the crack pattern.

Uniform Size Matters: Use a cookie scoop if you have one. Same-sized cookies bake evenly, so you won’t have some burnt and some raw.

The Molasses Choice: Unsulphured molasses has a cleaner, sweeter flavor. Sulphured can taste a bit harsh and bitter—save it for savory cooking.

Troubleshooting Guide

Cookies spreading too much?
Your dough might not have been cold enough, or your butter was too soft. Make sure to chill the full 2 hours, and check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer—it might be running hot.

Cookies too hard or crunchy?
You probably overbaked them. Remember, they should look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. Try reducing baking time by a minute next batch.

Not getting those pretty cracks?
This usually means not enough baking soda (double-check your measurement) or the dough wasn’t rolled in enough sugar. Really coat those balls!

Cookies taste too spicy or too mild?
Adjust the ginger up or down by ½ teaspoon to suit your taste. Ground spices lose potency over time, so if yours have been sitting in the cabinet for years, they might need refreshing.

Dough too sticky to work with?
Even after chilling, this dough can be a bit tacky. Keep a small bowl of flour nearby and dust your hands lightly, or use a cookie scoop dipped in water.

Variations & Twists

Want to customize your chewy molasses cookies recipe? Here are some fun ideas:

Crystallized Ginger Version: Fold in ½ cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger for extra ginger punch and chewy bits throughout.

Chocolate Chip Surprise: Add 1 cup of dark chocolate chips to the dough—the chocolate melts into pockets of richness that contrast beautifully with the spice.

Orange Zest Twist: Add 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest to the dough for a bright, citrusy note that makes these feel extra special.

Cardamom Love: Replace ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon with ground cardamom for a sophisticated, aromatic variation.

Sandwich Cookie Style: Make flat, thin cookies and sandwich them with cream cheese frosting or dulce de leche.

If you’re into creative cookie variations, you’ve got to try my Lotus Biscoff mug cake—it’s got that same warm spice vibe but in single-serving form!

Serving, Storage & Reheating

These soft and chewy ginger cookies are incredibly versatile:

Serving Suggestions: Serve warm (my favorite way), with vanilla ice cream, alongside hot apple cider, or dunked in coffee. They’re also beautiful packaged in clear bags tied with ribbon for gift-giving.

Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to keep them extra soft—the cookies absorb moisture from the bread. (Replace the bread slice every other day.)

Freezing the Cookies: Baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Freezing the Dough: This is my favorite trick! Roll the dough into balls, coat in sugar, and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen—just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Reheating: Pop cookies in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes to refresh them and bring back that just-baked warmth.

No-Waste Kitchen Magic

Got leftover ingredients? Here’s how to use them up:

Extra Molasses: Stir it into oatmeal, use it in barbecue sauce, add a tablespoon to your next batch of baked beans, or drizzle over vanilla ice cream for a sophisticated dessert.

Leftover Egg Yolks (if you use whites elsewhere): Make a simple custard, add richness to scrambled eggs, or brush them on bread for golden, glossy crusts.

Broken Cookies: Crumble them over ice cream, layer them in a trifle with whipped cream, or pulse them in a food processor to make a spiced cookie crust for cheesecake.

Stale Cookies (if they’ve somehow lasted that long): Crumble and mix into cookie butter, or chop and fold into vanilla ice cream.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies FAQs

Let’s Celebrate These Cookies!

There’s something truly special about pulling a tray of these chewy ginger molasses cookies from the oven—that warm spice aroma, those gorgeous crackled tops, and the promise of tender, chewy perfection in every bite.

They’re the cookies that turn a regular Tuesday into something cozy, that make holiday cookie trays feel complete, and that have friends texting you for the recipe the next day.

I’d absolutely love to see how yours turn out! Drop a comment below with your baking experience, share a photo on social media (tag me so I can see!), or let me know if you tried any of the variations. Did you add chocolate chips? Go wild with extra ginger? I want to hear all about it.

And if you’re on a spice cookie kick (honestly, who can blame you?), don’t miss my other cozy creations on Dessert Haven—there’s always something delicious baking around here!

Baked with love by Rebeccah Ellene ❤️