Soft-Baked Ginger Molasses Cookies (Print)

Delight in soft, chewy treats flavored with warming ginger, spices, and rich molasses for cozy gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
10 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For Rolling

13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and dark brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined.
05 - Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll each into a ball, then coat in granulated sugar.
07 - Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
09 - Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They stay soft for days, never turning hard or crumbly like so many spice cookies do.
  • The molasses gives them a deep, almost caramel-like sweetness that feels grown-up without being bitter.
  • You can mix the dough by hand if you want, no fancy equipment required.
  • They fill the whole house with the kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking whats cooking.
02 -
  • The cookies will look slightly underbaked when you pull them out, that's exactly what you want for a soft center.
  • If your molasses is really thick and cold, warm the jar in hot water for a minute so it pours smoothly.
  • Don't flatten the dough balls before baking, they spread on their own and the cracks form naturally.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to keep the sizes consistent so they all bake evenly.
  • If you like a crispier edge, bake them for the full 11 minutes, but no longer.
  • Let the baking sheets cool completely between batches or the dough will spread too fast and the bottoms will burn.
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