I remember the first time I made molasses cookies I ended up with one giant cookie sheet shaped mess! My cookie dough spread like CRAZY even after chilling it for the recommended two hours. I was SO upset! Thankfully that wasn’t the last time I attempted or made molasses cookies. I figured things out since and can now successfully make beautiful soft molasses cookies. My powerlifting coach requested these at the same time his cute kids requested the imaginary pie I posted about in March and I have just gotten around to making them.

Soft molasses cookie ingredients

• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Egg
• Unsulphured molasses
• All purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves

Unsulphured molasses

Molasses is made from refined sugar cane juice. There are three main kinds of molasses sulphured, unsulphured and blackstrap. According to myrecipes.com, the differentiating factor between the three kinds is maturity of the sugar cane, the amount of juice extracted and the extraction method.

The key difference between sulphured and unsulphured molasses is the sugarcane’s age. Unsulphured molasses is made from mature sugarcane. Sulphured molasses on the other hand is made from younger sugercane plants whose juice is not as sweet. Sulphur is added to molasses extracted from these plants to help preserved it until it matures. Unsulphured molasses is generally thicker and sweeter in flavor and is recommended in this recipe. Most molasses sold in a commercial settings such as supermarkets is unsulphured and will be called out on the label.

Baking soda

This recipe calls for two full teaspoons of baking soda which seems like a CRAZY amount given the ratio of other ingredients. DO NOT PANIC! This is the correct amount for this recipe. The baking soda is what causes these cookies to rise and gives them their soft texture. Baking soda is an alkaline and when mixed with an acid (such as molasses) a reaction occurs that creates millions of carbon dioxide bubbles. These bubbles give the batter lift and fluffiness.

This recipe was adapted from gimme some oven’s chewy ginger molasses cookies

Looking for other great cookie recipes?

Check out these recipes from my archives.

Did you make these soft molasses cookies? Don’t forget to rate them below. As always, be sure to show off your goodies on social and tag us @mandy.macc.bakes.

Print Recipe

Soft Molasses Cookies

Author: Mandy

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 9 min Rest Time 2 hour Total Time 2 hrs 19 mins Servings: 28

Description

These molasses cookies are so soft and packed full of warm spices you won't be able to stop eating them!

Ingredients

Servings

• ³⁄₄ cups unsalted butter
• ³⁄₄ cups granulated sugar (divided)
• ¹⁄₂ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 large egg
• ¹⁄₄ cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 ¹⁄₄ cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. In a large bowl cream butter, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and creamy. About 3 minutes

2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in egg until well combined

3. Scrape down bowl again and beat in molasses until well combined

4. In a separate medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

5. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until just combined

6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight

7. Once dough is chilled, pre-heat oven to 350F

8. Roll dough into 1" size balls, then roll in remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar

9. Place dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet at least 2" apart and bake for 8-10 minutes

10. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finished cooling

Keywords: Cookies, Molasses cookies, Molasses, Spices