Old Fashioned Chewy Molasses Cookies

Square side shot of soft and chewy molasses cookies.

5 from 5 votes

Old Fashioned Chewy Molasses Cookies

These old fashioned chewy molasses cookies are soft, warmly spiced, and rolled in sugar for a crackled top and slightly crisp exterior. Made with butter (no shortening), they're freezer-friendly and perfect for holiday baking or a cozy afternoon treat.

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword best chewy molasses cookies, chewy ginger molasses cookies, chewy molasses cookies recipe, molasses cookie recipe, soft molasses cookies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 11

Chilling Time 2

Total Time 2 26

Servings cookies

Calories 138kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Electric mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar, divided
½ cup molasses (unsulphured, not blackstrap)
2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until smooth.
Add the molasses, oil, vanilla, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Slowly add the flour until just combined.
Cover bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or up to 2-3 days).
When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Place remaining 1 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl.
Remove dough from refrigerator and use a scoop to form the dough into round balls. Roll each ball of dough in the sugar. Place dough balls onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Bake for about 10-11 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and starting to brown on the edges. They will still be soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

Use unsulphured molasses (like Grandma's brand), not blackstrap. Blackstrap molasses is too bitter and will change the flavor of your cookies.
Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before mixing for the smoothest dough.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Cold dough yields the thickest, chewiest cookies.
Don't overmix once you add the flour. Stir just until combined to keep cookies tender.
Pull cookies from the oven early. They should look slightly underbaked in the center. They'll firm up as they cool but stay soft and chewy.
The sugar coating creates the crackled top and slightly crisp exterior. You can skip it, but it's a hallmark of old fashioned molasses cookies.
For spicier cookies, add more ginger or stir in chopped crystallized ginger.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Freezer-friendly dough: Portion, roll in sugar, and freeze on a baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.

Nutrition