Soft and Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
When I think about warm, spice-laden molasses cookies, I usually think of chilly fall weather, mugs of hot apple cider and the smell of pumpkin. Perhaps it’s because our area has been stuck in a perpetual winter rut, but I have had an unseasonal craving for these cookies over the last few weeks. I finally decided to give in and bake up a batch. After all, I’ve always believer that there is never a bad time for a cookie… no matter what that cookie is! My craving was more than satisfied with these wonderfully chewy cookies – they’re soft, crackled on top and full of spice.
I’ve seen some molasses cookies that require chilling the dough before baking, but I was drawn to this one because you could quickly mix up the dough and then bake them right away. No waiting around means fresh-baked cookies in less than an hour!
I eat ice cream in December and spice cookies in April; my taste buds have no concept of season and I’m happy to appease their varying cravings as they pop up. What are some of your “unseasonal” cravings?
One year ago: Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
Two years ago: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Five years ago: Gooey Chocolate Cakes
Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (281.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- â…“ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- â…“ cup (73.33 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (168.5 ml) molasses
For Rolling:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, increase the speed to medium and beat until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Again reduce the speed to medium-low and add the molasses, beating until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to give it a final few mixes to ensure no flour remains.
- Place the sugar for rolling in a small bowl. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll into a smooth ball, then toss in the sugar to coat and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are browned, still puffy and the edges have begun to set but the centers are still soft, about 11 minutes. Be sure not to overbake the cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I have several molasses cookie recipes, butThis is my go to recipe! I make them every year for our cookie swap.
I even have copies for half and quarter batch (yes, including the single egg yolk).
LOVE THESE!!!
Can these be frozen? Â If so, do you freeze after baking, or freeze the dough balls after rolling in sugar?
You can freeze at either point, but I would wait to roll them in sugar until just before baking. Enjoy!
Our go-to family cookie recipe for years. My picky eating son loves them and adds white chocolate chips as his (not very) secret ingredient!
I am so anxious to try this recipes. i love molasses cookies but have gotten tired of the crispy ones. I agree! There is no season for home baked cookies.
What happens if you leave out the ground black pepper?
Hi Jana, You just lose some of the spice.
I just finished baking these cookies and I’m afraid I might go overboard using superlatives to describe them. These are simply…..delicious. And to make it even better, they’re so easy to make, with each cookie baking up just like the next one. A matched batch of crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, perfectly spiced cookies. I am trying to save myself from eating the entire batch as they cool. I did use less than a tablespoon of dough when rolling, so I got 40 cookies, measuring about 2.5 inches in diameter. I still baked them for 11 minutes, which achieved that crispy edge that I like. A must-bake cookie for the fall!
I have been searching and searching for a good molasses cookie! Like you, when I find a recipe I don’t want to have to wait hours for the dough to chill; I want it now! I saw your recipe and immediately ran to mix up a batch. I was not disappointed. These cookies are delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make them again and again. Thank you for your recipe!
I made these this week for two reasons; molasses cookies are one of my very favorites, and I needed items for a bake sale. Since I was running short of butter, I substituted coconut oil for the butter. The flavor was amazing. I will now make them this way all the time!
Hi! I just made pumpkin ice cream and want to make ice cream sandwiches with soft, spice cookies. I would like something similar to a gingersnap or to the spice wafers made by Sweetzels (http://www.sweetzels.com/). Would you recommend using these cookies or your soft and chewy gingersnap cookies? What is he difference?
Thanks!
Hi Sara, I think the soft and chewy gingersnaps are a little softer, and I actually loved using them for ice cream sandwiches with vanilla ice cream!
I was sooooooo delighted to find this recipe on your site!!!!! Not sure how I missed it when it first came out, but very happy to find it now! Soft Molasses Spice Cookies are my very favorite cookies of all time! Once in a blue moon I will make sandwich cookies out of them, filling them with a tart-sweet lemon curd based cream filling, or even use them to make ice cream sandwiches (I absolutely love coffee flavored ice cream in them!) Love your site and look forward to your recipes! Can I also tell you how excited I am to hear about your upcoming newest family member!!! Congratulations to you and yours!
Hi! I was wondering how big these cookies are. Thanks!
I’d estimate maybe four inches in diameter?
How are these different from the soft and chewy gingerbread men recipe?
Hi Sara, There are a few differences – the gingerbread men recipe has more flour, more molasses, no eggs, no granulated sugar… which enables it to be more of a “roll-out” cookie dough vs. a drop cookie dough, which this is.
Do they taste the same?
They have much of the same flavor – molasses, ginger, spices, etc, but the gingerbread men are more of a sturdy cookie (yet not crispy), vs these, which are quite soft.
Thanks! The drop method will save me some time!
I just made this cookies and they are AMAZING!!!! I did have one question: how did you get your cookies so flat? Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m not sure, that’s just how they came out! :)
Last night was dark, windy, and rainy. I made these cookies to go along with pumpkin beef stew and cornbread. They did not disappoint. Beware the raw dough! It is delectable.
Great recipe! Just made them tonight and my family really appreciated how great they were. Thank you for a new recipe in my arsenal of wonderful food for my family.
This recipe is so similar to one of my favorite recipes. http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2010/02/mehndi-inspired-spice-cookies.html
Now that I memorized this recipe I make them whenever the craving hits me. They keep really well too, and almost get better with time.
These look delicious. Like you my taste buds are not constrained by the season. I can’t wait to make this recipe!
My taste buds have no concept for seasonal food, either! In fact, I’ve even been thinking of pulling out the pumpkin and make some cookies! These molasses cookies look so perfect!
Perfect looking cookies! Love that there is a bit of ground black pepper in these.
These cookies were one of the few things growing up that my paternal grandmother made that I consistently liked. (My grandma on that side is from some kind of bizarro world where grandmas can’t cook/bake.) This post makes me want to dust off that old recipe!
Down here in KY, unfortunately, we can’t seem to get out of the winter rut either… BOO. But I enjoy these without hesitation whether it’s 20 degrees or 80 degrees!
It seems to perfect and yummy for the holiday season.
Vegetable Store
These cookies look so scrumptious. Definitely will bake these after work on Friday – can’t wait!!
I love that you made these cookies even though they aren’t quite in season. Sometimes you just have to go for a craving. I crave – and eat – pumpkin desserts year round.
I saw this recipe, and I just had to make it. Immediately. These cookies are so incredibly good. They’re soft and spicy, and what makes them addictive is there buttery undertones. So good. I also made a lemon filling, from butter, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and honey, to make cookie sandwiches. Lemon and ginger make an amazing pair. Thank you so much for this recipe, I don’t know how I lived without it!
These look amazing. I’ve actually been craving these kind of cookies lately. Weird.
These cookies look terrific! I agree — soft and chewy are my favorite texture to cookies. Some of my “unseasonal” cravings are anything pumpkin (I crave them all year-round) and blueberry pies (I crave them even when blueberries aren’t in season here in NY).
These look fabulous! For me, I like to eat pumpkin pie all year long. Or pumpkin anything for that matter.
My biggest one is probably pumpkin – I could eat it year-round (and I do) :) I would just as happily eat these molasses spice cookies in Apri as I would in December!
These are my absolute favorite cookie and yours look perfect! Got to try them!
Definitely my fav all time cookie. Yum!
These are my favorite cookie ever – especially when they’re soft and chewy!
Want. Need. NOW.
I knew I spotted a Cook’s Illustrated recipe! Their cookies always come out flawless. These remind me of their Brown Sugar Cookies except spicier. YUM.
Hi Michelle,
Was wondering if the 11 minutes cook time listed in the direction area or the 22 minutes cook time listed in the top section is correct? Thanks
Hi Sharon, Both are correct. The times at the top are total times, to guide you in knowing how much time a recipe will take prep-wise, and how much time is spent with things in the oven. Because these cookies are baked one cookie sheet at a time, each sheet is baked for 11 minutes, for a total of 22 minutes for both.
These look just perfect to me for a cool spring morning! (afternoon & evening too)
Molasses cookies are definitely in my top 3 favorite cookies. Yours look absolutely perfect! And just how I like them – soft and chewy. Pinning to try!
These look so divine. I didn’t know I was craving those flavors till I saw these cookies!
Mmm, love me some soft and chewy cookies! These look scrumptious!
I absolutely love molasses cookies! Wish I had a few right now :)
I also have no seasons when it comes to taste buds. I just found an amazing sounding recipe for homemade apple cider, and I am planning on making it this week!
What a great recipe and I love that you didn’t use any shortening in the cookies! Just beautiful!
That looks so good Michelle!
Aw! Molasses cookies were THE special treat that was a specialty of my Grandma’s, this recipe looks pretty similar! I can’t see a molasses cookie without warm happy flashbacks to sitting in her kitchen in Texas with cookies and Vernor’s ginger ale…
Molasses and ginger cookies are a favorite of mine. Year round! I make those ginger cookies of yours (adapted from Ina Garten) year-round. I just can’t quit them. ;)
But these look awesome, too! Soft and chewy is just how a cookie should be. :)
I loooooove molasses cookies. They’re probably one of my fave cookies ever. About a month or so, long after Xmas and the holidays, I wanted to bake molasses cookies so badly but thought well no one wants to hear about molasses cookies after the holiday season…but I was wrong. I baked some dark brown sugar-molasses cookies with coconut oil that are some of the best cookies I’ve ever made and they’ve become popular. I am with you – there is never a bad time for cookies! Yours are beautiful and good to know the CI recipe works out like a champ!
Do you have recipe that add coconut oil to molasses cookie could you post it