Name: Molasses Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: ½ cup Butter (Unsalted); ¼ cup Shortening; 1 cup Brown sugar; 1 Egg (Large); ¼ cup Molasses; ½ tsp Vanilla extract; 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour; ¼ tsp Salt; 2 tsp Baking soda; 1½ tsp Cinnamon; 1 tsp Nutmeg; 1/2 tsp Clove powder; 1/2 tsp Allspice powder; 1 cup Granulated sugar (For rolling cookie balls)

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Old fashioned, easy molasses cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. This classic Christmas crinkle cookie has a soft and chewy texture with lots of spices.

Christmas just won't be complete without a batch of these molasses cookies. This recipe has been in the family for generations and it's just as popular as our Ginger Cookies and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies which also contain molasses as an ingredient.

Easy Molasses Cookies Pile on Textured Beige Background

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How to make easy molasses cookies recipe from scratch?

Mix wet ingredients- Butter, shortening and brown sugar. Then add egg, molasses, vanilla extract.
Whisk dry ingredients- Including flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove powder, allspice.
Combine mixtures- Dump dry into the wet mixture.
Chill- So that dough is easier to handle.
Form balls of dough- Roll them in sugar.
Bake- Until edges are firm.
Cool cookies- Enjoy!

What is the difference between old fashioned molasses cookies and gingerbread cookies?

The cookies are similar, but ginger cookies usually have ginger and a crispy texture, while these cookies are soft and chewy with no ginger.

How to make soft and chewy cookies?

There are a few things you can do to make sure these cookies stay soft. First, both shortening and butter, need to be used in this recipe for the perfect soft texture. The chewy texture comes from the use of molasses. In addition, make sure to bake them just until the edges are firm which is usually around 10 minutes, depending on how your oven cooks. Over baking the cookies will make them crispy and hard.

What is the best molasses to use for baking?

Use regular unsulphured light molasses and not dark molasses since it has a different flavor and can drastically change the flavor.

Why are my cookies flat?

This happens when there is not enough flour to hold the cookies together. Make sure to measure accurately when you are making the batter. Another reason this can happen is if the butter is melted, make sure it is solid at room temperature, and not melted when you add it to the dough. Lastly, make sure that you chill the dough and roll it into balls. This helps the cookie to hold its shape and not spread as much.

Why are my cookies hard? How to soften homemade cookies?

Over-baking or not measuring correctly is most often the culprit of making cookies hard. However, these cookies do have a tendency to get hard after about 24 hours. If that happens, place a slice of bread in the cookie jar, tighten the lid and just let it sit overnight. The next morning, the bread will become hard and the cookies will become soft. That's because all the moisture from the bread is now in the cookies. Throw out the bread and enjoy your cookies. Another option is to microwave the cookies, but I prefer the slice of bread trick.

Variations for molasses spice cookies

Add icing- Such as Royal Icing, Powdered Sugar Glaze {Vanilla Cake Glaze}, Brown Sugar Frosting {So fluffy!}, or American Buttercream Frosting Recipe. Cool the cookies completely before adding icing.

Adjust spices- Add more or less based on your preference.

Add other extracts- Such as maple, caramel, almond, bourbon, or rum.

Add zests- Such as orange or lemon zest.

Add spices- Such as cardamom or ginger.

Add some shredded coconut- For added texture and sweetness.

Add oats- For additional fiber and texture, mix in 1-2 tablespoon quick cooking oats in the cookie dough mixture. I love the chewiness they add to cookies.

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

Add crystallized ginger candy- Mix in ¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger in the cookie dough mixture, or you can add 1.5 tablespoon freshly grated ginger.

Tips and techniques for soft and chewy molasses crinkle cookies

Chill the dough- Because this makes it easier to handle and form into balls.

All ingredients should be at room temperature- Because this helps them blend together smoothly.

Cookies can be rolled in granulated sugar or sanding sugar- I used sanding sugar for these cookies.

Baking soda is used in this recipe, NOT baking powder- Don't replace one with the other! It will not produce the correct results.

What do these cookies taste like? They have a sweet and spiced flavor with a soft and chewy texture.

Use your hands, if necessary- To mix everything into a cookie dough consistency.

Line the baking tray with parchment paper- This prevents the cookies from sticking to the tray and breaking when you try to remove them.

Storage of homemade cookies

Room temperature- Store them in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 5 days.

Freeze- In a freezer safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw to room temperature to enjoy again. Note that they may not be as soft and chewy after being frozen.

Soft and Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies on Top of Glass Jar

Easy Homemade Molasses Crinkles on Textured Beige Background

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