Ginger Molasses Cookies {Soft & Chewy}

Easy fat free ginger molasses cookies recipe with no butter, no shortening, no oil, no egg yolks, homemade with simple ingredients. Crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.

I was so scared to make these fat free ginger cookies since most fat free recipes I have tried have been very disappointing. However, I was pleasantly surprised because these turned out to be wonderful! They are thick, soft, chewy and spicy. My favorite part is the incredible sugary, crunchy tops. These Gingersnap Cookies and Jumbo Gingerbread Men Cookies and this Easy Ginger Cake, all boast the same warm and yet spicy flavor that ginger brings to the culinary world.

How to make ginger molasses cookies recipe from scratch?

1. Mix ingredients- This includes brown sugar, applesauce, molasses, and fresh ginger, egg whites.
2. Sift dry ingredients- This includes flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, ground clove.
3. Combine mixtures- Until smooth.
4. Stir in- Candied ginger.
5. Chill dough- To make it easy to handle.
6. Roll small dough balls- In a bowl of cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake- Until the edges have set. 

What is the difference between ginger cookies and molasses cookies?

Ginger cookies are known for being crisp and "snap" when broken in half. Molasses cookies are known for being soft and chewy in consistency.

What molasses is best for cookies and baking?

I recommend using molasses labeled light, mild, or baking molasses because it contains the most sugar content, making it sweet and perfect for baking.

Why do you put molasses in cookies? What is the purpose?

It adds so much sweetness, depth of color, and also helps to make cookies softer.

Why are my cookies hard after baking? How to soften hard cookies?

This usually means the cookies are over baked, or it could be from improper measuring of ingredients. It can be hard to tell when they are done cooking because they are already a deep brown color. There are different methods to soften hard cookies. You can microwave the cookies with a wet paper towel or you can store them in a cookie jar with a slice of bread, which is my favorite method. Simply, put a slice of bread in a cookie jar with the cookies overnight. By morning, the slice of bread will be hard, having transferred its moisture to the cookies and cookies will be soft again.

Variations for soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies

Adjust the amount of spices- Add more or less, based on your preference.

Add some cardamom powder- For an additional spiced flavor.

Add finely chopped nuts- Such as walnuts, pecans, cashews, or almonds.

Add finely chopped dried fruit- Such as raisins, cranberries, or dried cherries.

Add a frosting- Once the cookies cool, top them with this Best Cream Cheese Frosting or this Brown Sugar frosting.

Tips and techniques for candied ginger cookies

The applesauce in this recipe is supposed to be unsweetened and thick- Use Gerber's applesauce baby food. It has a fairly thick consistency compared to regular applesauce jars you find in the baking aisle.

This will be a sticky dough- Don't add additional flour! You must chill the dough for 3 hours to make it easier to handle.

The color of these cookies could be darker or lighter- This is based on the use of dark brown sugar vs. light brown sugar, more spices vs. less spices as well as different brands of molasses. Regardless of which of these ingredients you use or the the color of the cookies, your cookies will end up tasting superb. 

Use fresh ginger- Because it has a wonderful aroma and a strong potent taste.

Only egg whites are used- Don't use full eggs because the batter consistency will change.

Chilling the dough is very important- Because this makes the dough easier to handle and roll.

Don't omit the candied ginger- Because it adds a lot of flavor and enhances the chewy texture too.

Only baking soda is used in this recipe- No baking powder is used. Don't replace soda with powder.

Don't replace brown sugar with granulated sugar- Because that's one of the key factors in creating that perfect chewy texture. If you don't have that on hand, check out this post on How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar.

Molasses cannot be replaced with maple syrup- Because it has a thinner consistency and a different flavor.

Where to buy candied ginger? You can find it at most larger stores such as Jewel, Target, Walmart, or online at Amazon.

Storage of homemade cookies

Refrigerate- In a covered box or container for about 1 week.

Room Temperature- Store cookies in an airtight container at for up to 5 days.

Freeze- In a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw to room temperature to enjoy.

More spiced cookies recipes

• Cinnamon Cookies
• Cake Mix Gingerbread Cookies
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (With Cake Mix)
• Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Classic Snickerdoodles Cookies
• Churro Cookies

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