Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
Soft, chewy cookies with crackly sugar tops and warm ginger, cinnamon and clove — a cookie-jar classic.
You'll need: Two baking sheets, parchment paper
A little history
Molasses was the everyday sweetener in many American kitchens through the 1800s, because it was far cheaper than refined white sugar. Spiced molasses cookies, gingersnaps and gingerbread were common in home cookbooks and community recipe collections.
How we've written it for today
Chilling the dough firms it for easier rolling, and baking until the centers still look soft keeps the cookies chewy.
Directions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the tops crackle and the edges are set but the centers look soft. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
Tips from the recipe card
- Use unsulphured (regular or 'mild') molasses; blackstrap is too bitter for these cookies.
- For crisp cookies, bake 2–3 minutes longer.
Serving & keeping
- Pack in a tin for gifts — they stay chewy for about 5 days.
- Sandwich with lemon frosting or vanilla ice cream.
Found a recipe like this in an old family notebook? Our guide to reading old recipes can help you make sense of it.
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