Molasses Cookies are a holiday staple around our house. This recipe yields such chewy cookies, with warm spices and a delicious molasses flavor. They’re the perfect treat to fill your cookie jar!
Soft Molasses Cookies
Soft Molasses Cookies smell and taste like Christmas. I absolutely love this soft and chewy cookie recipe to share with family during the holidays!
Are you wary of molasses? Don’t be; its mild flavor and smooth texture make these cookies so soft and scrumptious! Molasses is what makes the difference between white sugar and brown sugar; the deep caramel flavor adds to your munching enjoyment!
You’ll love the sugary outside and the tender, spicy inside for the holidays or any day!
I used to think I didn’t like molasses until a dear friend baked a batch of these cookies for me several years ago. One bite of these chewy, sweet, Soft Molasses Cookies and everything I thought I knew about molasses changed forever.
This Molasses Cookie recipe is now one of my all-time favorites. Try them and let me know what you think!
Soft Molasses Cookies can be rolled in sugar before baking for a sweeter treat or left as is. Either way, these beauties are sure to become a favorite!
All the Holiday Cookies
25+ Favorite Christmas Cookies
Baking and Christmas go hand in hand. See our guide for our fave recipes + tips and tricks for perfect cookies.
Why you’ll love this Molasses Cookies Recipe:
- They take you back to simpler days. Back in the good ole days, cooks used molasses for all sorts of recipes. Tasting that wholesome, deep sweetness kind of reminds you of living in pioneer times!
- They’re quick and easy to make. No chilling or rolling required, and just 10 minutes in the oven!
- They’re perfect for last-minute treats. Keep a batch of cookies in the freezer and you’ll always be ready to share!
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
I just can’t get over how comforting and satisfying these cookies are. Warm, spicy, soft, chewy, and delicious! I’ll eat them any time of year, but ginger and cinnamon just scream CHRISTMAS IS HERE!
To Make:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine melted shortening, sugar, and molasses in a bowl, and beat together for about 3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes, until well blended.
- Combine all dry ingredients, and then add the shortening/sugar mixture and beat everything together.
- Let the dough sit for 10 minutes.
- Roll the dough into balls, roll them in sugar if desired, and then place the balls of dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake cookies at 350°F for 10-11 minutes.
- When completely cool, store them in an airtight container (if you don’t eat them all first!). Make plenty so you can share with friends and family!
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
Are Soft Molasses Cookies the same as Gingersnaps?
The key ingredients to both cookies are similar; both call for exactly the same amount of molasses and are spiced with ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. The big difference is in the texture.
Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy, whereas gingersnaps are crisper and, well, snappier in texture.
What kind of molasses should I use?
I generally use a lighter molasses in these cookies, but a dark, or “robust” molasses will enrich the flavor and color of the cookies. Steer clear of blackstrap molasses for this recipe; the flavor is very intense and may overpower your spices.
Can I make Soft Molasses Cookies without shortening?
Shortening, along with the molasses is what gives these cookies their soft and chewy texture. You can use half shortening and half butter if you like the flavor better.
If you’re concerned about hydrogenated oil and trans fats, check the label of the shortening container. Most are now made with vegetable oil.
Can Molasses Cookies be frozen?
Absolutely! In fact, some folks prefer to eat them straight out of the freezer. Me, I love them fresh out of the oven with a tall glass of milk, but they freeze beautifully and will keep for up to 1 month.
They’ll store on the counter nicely in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Share a plate of these divine cookies with friends and neighbors this holiday season. Happy baking!
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
One of the best things about the holidays is all the baking! There’s nothing better than grabbing an apron and whipping up something sweet and tasty in the kitchen, pulling out the same treasured recipes year after year. Check out a few of my favorite cookies:
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Spritz Cookies
- Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
- Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (Santa’s Favorite Cookies)
- Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
- White Chocolate Molasses Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cow Chip Cookies
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Why salt AND coarse salt? Isnt that a lot of salt?
It’s a half a teaspoon of both so it truly isn’t much!
It’s half a teaspoon of both so it truly isn’t much!
Awesome. My fam ate him up and I had to make more than next day. Love these cookies.
Thanks for sharing, Jacq!
Excellent cookies
Thank you, Allyn!
Mine were to dry and crumbling and I had to add 1/4 cup of water. Maybe it was the weather, chilly and dry in florida. They did not spread very much either. Has this happened to you?
Hi Becky. Can I use Molasses sugar instead of the liquid ones? TQ for sharing and guiding us on baking on the all the awesome cookies.
I am sorry, I haven’t tried it that way before! You can give it a shot though!
These cookies are amazing! We love them.
Why thank you, Laura!
OH MY GOODNESS droooooling over these cookies!! They are my brothers favorite – I’ll hope they last long enough for him to have some!
If they don’t you can always make another batch :)
These look and sound so good! I think we’d love eating these molasses cookies year round.
You’re going to love them!!
These are my new favorite cookie. So soft and delicious.
Thanks, Mallory! Glad you love them!
Love! Molasses cookies aren’t always a top fave but they are for me.
Thanks, Trang! They’re pretty darn tasty!
So, I’ve never melted shortening….can you just nuke it in the microwave?
Yep, we just use the microwave. Hope you guys like them!