Molasses cookies are a timeless chewy cookie spiced with warm cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
Molasses
Molasses is frequently used in older recipes like these molasses cookies (especially in 18th and 19th century recipes) as it was used as a sweetener in many baked goods, drinks and even savory recipes. Molasses is made from refining cane sugar or sugar beets and the different varieties are produced from the stages of boiling down the sugar. Molasses is produced in a light form (early stage) to a dark form (late stage).
Dark molasses is what is commonly used in baked goods. Blackstrap molasses is more bitter and is from the final stage of boiling and is used in more health foods, supplements and not in baked goods. Molasses also comes sulphured or unsulphured. Unsulphured molasses is considered more pure, since sulphur is a type of preservative. I prefer to use unsulphured molasses in my baked goods for this reason.
About this Recipe
This molasses cookie recipe dates to between the 1940’s and 1950’s and originated from my Grandma’s recipe files. Her original recipe calls for lard, as do most of her recipes. I almost always substitute butter in her recipes that call for lard and these cookies are no exception. They contain warm cinnamon, ginger and clove spices. I really like to make these in the colder months but they are really great any time of year, especially around the Holiday season. To get these cookies more uniform in size, use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough and then roll into a uniform circle using your hands. Don’t skip the rolling the cookies in sugar – it gives them a pretty sugar coating that gives it an extra little “crunch.”
Tips for Molasses Cookies
- Use a full-flavored, unsulfured dark molasses for best flavor (not blackstrap)
- Dough can be made in advance and refrigerated up to 3 days
- Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
- Cookies freeze well if kept in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks
Made this recipe? Comment or rate below or @thetimelessbaker on Instagram or Pinterest!
Want more cookie recipes? Check out these recipes:
Molasses Cookies
Equipment
- cookie sheet
- silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- mixing bowls or various sizes
- small cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling dough in
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup dark molasses, full-flavored and unsulfured
Instructions
- Sift or whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in egg and molasses.
- Add in dry ingredients, in three separate batches.
- Chill dough minimum of 1 hour.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop a ball of dough and roll between palms of hands to create a uniform circle of dough. Roll each circle of dough into granualted sugar.
- Place on baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. After removing from oven, cool on baking sheet 2 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Use a full-flavored, unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
- Dough can be made in advance and refrigerated up to 3 days
- Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days
- Cookies freeze well if kept in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks