If you’ve been searching for the best ginger molasses cookie recipe, this is the one! With a deliciously soft, chewy centre and rolled in Demerara sugar for a subtle crunch, these cozy cookies deliver warm, spicy perfection every time.
While this easy cookie recipe is a year-round favourite, these homemade cookies truly shine as an essential addition to any festive dessert spread. Their wonderful make-ahead quality and freeze-ability make them an easy Christmas baking idea. Ideal for packing into holiday cookie tins, sharing at festive cookie exchanges, or serving alongside a hot cup of tea or cocoa during the winter months.
Why You’ll Love This Ginger Molasses Cookie Recipe
- Perfect Soft and Chewy Texture: The super soft and warm, gooey centre is contrasted beautifully with the crisp, sugar coated edges.
- Holiday & Cookie Exchange Essential: The excellent shelf life makes these ginger molasses cookies a must-bake for Christmas cookie tins, holiday dessert spreads, or festive cookie swaps! They also add a fantastic visual contrast with their rich brown hue and a much needed festive sparkle!
- Make Ahead Recipe & Freezer Friendly: Because these cookies freeze so well, they are the ideal make ahead cookies for easy holiday gifting and holiday cookie swaps. If you’re just baking for yourself, these cookies can be thawed and eaten in minutes right out of the freezer.
What You’ll Need To Make Easy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- All Purpose Flour: 2 + 1/4 cups, sifted to reduce clumping.
- Butter: 3/4 cups, softened to room temperature. If your using salted butter, don’t add any additional salt.
- Brown Sugar: 1/2 cup of brown sugar, measured and packed.
- Granulated Sugar: 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.
- Molasses: 1/4 cup Molasses, my favourite 🙂
- Egg: 1 egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 + 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. I use pure vanilla extract. It’s a little more expensive, but the flavour makes it worth it.
- Baking Soda: 1 + 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda.
- Spices: 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Salt: 1/4 of salt, if using unsalted butter.
- Demerara Sugar: About 1/2 cup for rolling.
How to Make the Best Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour with the baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- Cream the Sugars: Using a hand mixer on medium high speed, cream the brown sugar and granulated sugar with the butter in a large mixing bowl until fully combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Give the bowl a scrape at this point if needed.
- Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: With your mixer on low, slowly add half of the dry ingredients and mix until mostly incorporated. Add the remaining dry mixture and beat until full combined. Cover the dough and place in the fridge to cool for 20-30 minutes. While you’re waiting for the dough to cool, pre-heat the oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Ball the Dough: Scoop 1 tablespoon worth of cookie dough into your hand using a cookie scoop, and shape into a ball. Roll in the Demerara sugar and coat evenly before placing on your parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. If your dough is too warm the cookies may spread more. I prefer the ginger molasses cookies to remain a bit thicker as it keeps the size ideal for cookie tins and cookie exchanges, and it also helps the centre stay gooey.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, checking around the 10 minute mark so they don’t over cook. The edges of the cookies should appear set. If the cookies are not cracking (purely aesthetic), you can gently tap the cookie sheet on your counter or hard surface to help get them cracking. Let them cool fully before serving or storing.
How to Store Or Freeze The Best Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Room Temperature: These cookies can be kept for about 5 days at room temperature in a sealed container.
- How to Freeze: Once the cookies have completely cooled, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, or freezer-safe ziplock bags. Freeze in single layers so the cookies don’t stick to one another – this is particularly helpful if you’re like me and you sneak into the freezer to steal one or two when you sweet tooth kicks in. They thaw quickly on the counter in just a few minutes.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!
Best Ginger Molasses Cookie Recipe
These ginger molasses cookies feature crisp edges, a deliciously soft and chewy centre, and a sparkly Demerara sugar crunch. An easy to follow recipe that’s perfect for year-round baking, holiday cookie tins, and festive cookie swaps!
Ingredients
Method
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour with the baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- Cream the Sugars: Using a hand mixer on medium high speed, cream the brown sugar and granulated sugar with the butter in a large mixing bowl until fully combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl if needed.
- Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: With your mixer on low, slowly add half the dry ingredients and mix until mostly incorporated. Add the remaining dry mixture and beat until full combined. Cover the dough and place in the fridge to cool for 20-30 minutes. While you’re waiting for the dough to cool, pre-heat the oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Ball the Dough: Scoop 1 tablespoon worth of cookie dough into your hand using a cookie scoop, and shape into a ball. Roll in the Demerara sugar and coat evenly before placing on your parchment lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, checking around the 10 minute mark so they don’t over cook. The edges of the cookies should appear set.
If your dough is too warm the cookies may spread more. I prefer the ginger molasses cookies to remain a bit thicker as it keeps the size ideal for cookie tins and cookie exchanges, and it also helps the centre stay gooey.
If the cookies are not cracking (purely aesthetic), you can gently tap the cookie sheet on your counter or hard surface to help get them cracking. Let them cool fully before serving or storing.
Notes
How to store and freeze:
These cookies can be kept for about 5 days at room temperature in a sealed container. Once the cookies have completely cooled, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container, or freezer-safe ziplock bags. They thaw quickly on the counter in just a few minutes.
