Old Fashioned Molasses Cookie Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

Old fashioned molasses cookies are one of the chewiest, yummiest cookies to make for the holidays, you will absolutely love them!

These old fashioned molasses crinkles are fantastic and totally similar to our white chocolate molasses cookies. These are meant to get those beautiful cracks all over the top and be a little more chewy to bite into. I have a secret to making those cracks as cracky as possible too!

Note, these cookies are not crunchy as we aren’t making gingerbread cookies, but chewy as is in sink your teeth into delicious. It seems like molasses crinkles are becoming forgotten but I refuse to let that happen.

What Do I Need to Make Molasses Cookies?

I’ve had quite a few molasses crinkle cookies in my day and I’m sorry to say that I have the same complaint with all of them, too much molasses and ginger. I don’t want to be breathing fire when I bite into a cookie.

Now I do like molasses cookies to have warmth to them as that’s how they should be but that all comes from the right ingredient ratios. We only need 1/2 cup of molasses and that’s plenty to bring on the flavor. Here is everything you need:

• Butter: unsalted,softened
• Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and rich molasses flavor
• Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar is used to both sweeten the dough and to roll the dough in before baking.
• Molasses: adds flavor, sweetness and richness of flavor
  • PRO TIP: We prefer Grandma’s brand dark molasses.
• Vanilla: adds flavor
• Eggs: gives the cookies structure
• Flour: just simple all purpose flour is all you need
• Ground Cinnamon: adds warmth and flavor
• Ground Cloves: adds festive holiday flavor
• Baking Soda: gives the cookies rise and fluffiness
• Ground Ginger: adds flavor and warmth
• Salt: enhances all the flavors

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make Molasses Cookies

These old fashioned soft molasses cookies come together quickly and easily. Here are the basic steps:

1. Wet Ingredients: Mix the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy using the paddle attachment. Add the molasses and beat until smooth and then the egg and mix again.
2. Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.
3. Combine: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
4. Chill: Scrape the sides of the bowl down and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
5. Prep: Preheat the oven and prep baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
6. Form: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and using your hands, roll the dough into balls. Roll the dough in sugar
7. Chill again: Place the dough balls on a baking sheet, wrap with saran wrap and chill again while you prepare the rest of the dough.
   • TIP: If I have the time, I like to chill the dough this second time overnight. The longer it chills, the better the cracks on the baked cookies.
8. Roll: After chilling the dough the second time, pull them out and let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes and then roll them in sugar again. This step is optional, but I love the added texture and sweetness it brings.
9. Bake: Bake until cracks just begin to appear on the top of the cookies.
   • TIP: Keep all the dough balls in the refrigerator as the cookies bake. You want to them to stay chilled right up until baking.
10. Rest: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it sit on the counter to cool for a couple of minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

These instructions are stated in full detail in the recipe card down below. You can also print or save the recipe from there.

Secrets to the Best Molasses Cookies

The real key though is in the chill, these cookies should be chilled for at least 2 hours and the dough should be kept in the fridge in between baking. And this makes a lot, a lot of dough so be prepared my friends!

Another secret is to double roll the dough in sugar! I scoop the dough into balls roll into sugar, placed them all on one cookie sheet and wrapped tightly in saran wrap and place it in the fridge. Generally overnight is my favorite, but at least two hours before baking. Then I pull the dough out, let it sit for 10 min to take the chill off, roll it in sugar again and bake.

And if you want to know a secret, I especially love the cookies baked and then frozen. The only cookie in the world that I approve of doing that with. There’s something about the warm spices and freezing cold cookie that is just plain awesome-sauce.

Where Do Molasses Cookies Originate?

It’s hard to know for sure, but most sources agree that molasses cookies came on the scene in the mid 1800s in the New England area.

Are Ginger Snaps and Molasses Cookies the Same?

The key difference betweenmolasses cookiesand gingersnapcookiesis thatmolasses cookiesare chewy, versusginger cookiesthat are snappier and crisper in texture.

Surprisingly, bothcookierecipes call for about thesameamount ofmolasses–usually around 1/4 cup.

Why Won’t My Molasses Cookies Crack?

There are a couple of different reasons that molasses cookies might not crack. First, if the dough is too wet, the cracks won’t appear because the cracks occur as the surface of the dough dries out. Make sure to measure all the ingredients accurately.

The other possible reason for no cracking is if the dough is too warm. You want the dough to be chilled when it goes into the oven to bake.

Can Molasses Cookies be Frozen?

Yes, they freeze well if done properly.

Allcookiesshould befrozenindividually after they’ve cooled completely, meaning they should be placed on a baking sheet, not touching, untilfrozensolid (they can befrozenlike this in layers separated by parchment, wax, or freezer paper).

Old fashioned molasses cookies are the perfect holiday cookie recipe. They are warm and festive with a chewy texture and a flavor that reminds you of the peace and comfort of childhood Christmases. You’re going to love this classic cookie recipe!

More Christmas Cookie Recipes:

• Gingerbread Men
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
• Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

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