Soft Molasses Cookies
It wouldn't be Christmas without Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies! They are so quick and easy to make, taste amazing and are perfect for a cookie exchange.
Servings: 2 dozen
Ingredients
- 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (if you scoop your flour with the cup, use 2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (12 tablespoons or 1-½ sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses NOT blackstrap
For rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prep:These cookies need to be frozen for 20-30 minutes before baking, so you will only need to preheat the oven once they are in the freezer (baking temperature is 375°F).Get your ingredients ready.
- Prepare dry ingredients:Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.2-¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Prepare wet ingredients:Beat the butter in a separate large bowl on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until pale and softened. Add both sugars and cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy - about 2-3 minutes.Add the egg and molasses and cream together on medium speed until JUST combined - do not overmix at this point.¾ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 large egg, ¼ cup molasses
- Make dough:Add the dry to the wet ingredients and combine into a cookie dough on low speed - do not overmix, only until no more dry flour is visible and the dough comes together.Note: Once you add the dry ingredients, only mix for as long as you need to make a soft cookie dough. Don’t attempt to knead it, it’s too sticky.
- Shape cookies:Scoop off heaping tablespoons of dough, roll them into balls with slightly damp hands, then roll in sugar. Freeze for 20-30 minutes.Note: Dampen your hands slightly to roll the dough into balls. By just very lightly dampening your hands (not too much, or the cookie dough balls will end up soggy), the dough sticks less to your hands and it’s easier to roll them.¼ cup granulated sugar
- Bake:When ready to bake, heat oven to 375°F. Place cookies on lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart (keep remaining unbaked cookies in the freezer until you are ready to bake the next batch.)Bake cookies, one tray at a time, for 8-12 minutes or until puffed up and set around the edges, with cracks in the surface.
- Cool:Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. The cookies will flatten a little as they cool - that's normal.Store the cooled cookies in an airtight cookie jar on the counter for 5-7 days.
Video
Notes
- Do not use baking powder in place of the baking soda. The cookies may change their shape and texture with baking powder.
- Don’t add more flour. The dough is very, very soft. If it is too soft to roll into balls, let it stand for 5-10 minutes. The flour should absorb some of the liquid and the dough should be more manageable now. Resist the urge to add more flour (unless it’s wet and almost paste-like). If you add too much flour, the cookies won’t flatten out as much as they should in the oven.
- Pay attention while baking them. They are easily over-baked, which results in dry cookies. Depending on how your oven runs and how large you make them, they may be done after 6 minutes – or need a full 12 minutes. It’s best to bake a test batch of two to three cookies before baking them all. That way you can figure out your best baking time!