Old fashioned super soft molasses cookies are a homemade classic treat packed with bold flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon in each bite. They're seriously soft and chewy on the inside with a crackly top outside that's been rolled in sugar. They're a fall and holiday favorite recipe that's the perfect addition to any cookie swap!
1cupGranulated Sugar(plus extra for rolling cookie dough balls in)
¼cupFull Flavor Molasses(I used the Brer Rabbit brand)
1Large Egg(room temperature)
Instructions
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cloves, ground ginger, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set to the side.
2 cups All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves, ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger, 2 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Salt
Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegetable oil and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until well blended. Add in the full flavored molasses and egg.
¾ cup Vegetable Oil, 1 cup Granulated Sugar, ¼ cup Full Flavor Molasses, 1 Large Egg
Switching the mixer speed to low, gradually add in the whisked dry ingredients until just combined.
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the molasses cookie dough for a minimum of 2 hours (or until it's easy to shape).
Once the cookie dough has chilled, adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Using a spoon or a 1 tablespoon size cookie scoop, form 1 inch size cookie dough balls. Roll each one in a small bowl of granulated sugar and place on the lined baking sheet roughly 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes at 375ºF. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will be puffy at first, but will flatten as they cool.
Molasses cookies can be kept stored in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature. They'll stay soft too!
Video
Notes
Pure cane organic sugar can be used as a substitute for granulated sugar (both in the recipe and what you roll the cookie dough balls in).
If your cookies come out misshapen or flatter than you like, you can reshape them using a round cookie cutter right when they come out of the oven.
If you do not have full-flavor molasses, you can use a light or dark flavor, but I do not recommend using blackstrap as it has no sweetness to it.
Recipe adapted from A Taste of Bedminster Elementary Cookbook.