Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies are a holiday classic. This copycat version of the cookie sold at a popular coffee shop is slightly crispy on the outside and super soft on the inside, making it one of our favorite versions of the classic cookie.

Is there a cookie that, for you, represents Christmas and the winter holidays?

For me, it’s a Polish fried dough sort of cookie that we called Chrust, although the proper name is chrusciki. I grew up with memories of making it with my mom and her parents. Mom, Grandma and I would spend hours rolling out the dough, cutting it out, and then tying it into bow-tie shapes. We’d then pass the cookies to my grandfather to fry them and finish it off with a coat of confectioner’s sugar. My brothers and I would all try to sneak cookies, but the trail of sugar we left behind always gave us away.

The other cookie that feels like winter holidays to me is molasses cookies. To be honest, I was never a huge fan growing up, but it was the one time a year when we made them – the are one of my dad’s favorite cookies.

So one year, I went searching for a new recipe to treat my dad to cookies for his December birthday. Dad’s never been real big on gifts. If his kids call him, he’s usually happy. However, Dad is like a big kid and loves getting surprises in the mail (especially if I send it to his office). These cookies were Dad’s birthday surprise.

And they were a surprise to me too. I hadn’t had a molasses cookie in years, but these were wonderful. I don’t know if it was the new recipe or my tastes changing as I got older, but I would totally make these all year round. This particular molasses cookie – a copycat recipe from a popular coffee shop – is slightly crunch on the outside (thanks to being rolled in sugar before baking) and super soft on the inside. And they stayed soft!

In case you’re wondering, Dad enjoyed receiving his cookies at his office – enough to enjoy for his birthday with a little extra to pop in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

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Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies are a holiday classic. This copycat version of the cookie sold at a popular coffee shop is slightly crispy on the outside and super soft on the inside, making it one of our favorite versions of the cookie.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 144 kcal

Author Liz

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter softened
• 1 c. light brown sugar
• 1 extra large egg
• 1/4 c. unsulphured molasses
• 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour granulated sugarin a small bowl or salad plate. Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on high-speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Lower speed to medium and add egg and molasses. Scrape down sides of the bowl and beat at high-speed until mixture no longer looks curdled, about 1 minute more.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger into wet mixture. Beat on low-speed until well combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
4. Use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup to portion out dough. (If the dough is sticking, light spray the scoop or measuring cup with vegetable spray before portioning out each cookie.)

5. Roll the dough into a ball, and then roll each ball in the plate of sugar. Place on baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are firm to the touch. If baking more than one baking sheet at a time, rotate the baking sheets mid-way through.
7. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe was rewritten but barely adapted from GroupRecipe’s Starbucks Chewy Molasses Cookies.

This post was updated in November 2018, to add a recipe card and update the photos. The original recipe stayed the same.