45 Comments | Jill Winger | Last Updated: June 13, 2023
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Soft, chewy, and spicy.
These soft molasses cookies are like taking a bite of Christmas.
Elaborate Christmas cookies really aren’t my thing (although I will spend a little extra time to make homemade peppermint patties on occasion…), so I lean heavily on these simple molasses cookies when I need to bring sweets to an event or party. Sucanat, an unrefined cane sugar, pairs beautifully with the rich blackstrap molasses in this recipe, making them a wholesome, yet satisfying option.
You can also easily plop these old-fashioned soft molasses cookies in a quart-sized mason jar and tie with a red ribbon if you need a thoughtful, homemade Christmas gift on the fly.
Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe
(this post contains affiliate links)
- 1 cup sucanat or rapadura (where to buy)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (where to buy)
- 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses (where to buy)
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour (I used unbleached all-purpose. Whole wheat or spelt might work as well.)
- 1 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1 t. ground cinnamon (where to buy)
- 1 t. ground ginger
- 1/2 t. sea salt (this is the salt I like)
- Coarse sugar– optional
1. Mix sugar, butter, coconut oil, molasses, and egg in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or baking stone. For extra crunch, dip the top of each dough ball in coarse sugar.
3. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 375 degree preheated oven.
Kitchen Notes
- Blackstrap molasses is a less-refined form of molasses. I prefer to use it in my baking, but you could also you regular molasses if you like.
- Don’t overbake or they will lose their softness! I leave mine slightly undercooked.
- If you can’t find sucanat or rapadura, you could also use regular brown sugar.
Soft Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sucanat
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup molasses (I used blackstrap molasses- a less refined version)
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour (I used unbleached all-purpose. Whole wheat or spelt might work as well.)
- 1 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 t. ground ginger
- 1/2 t. sea salt (I use this one)
- Coarse sugar– optional
Instructions
- Mix sugar, butter, coconut oil, molasses, and egg in a large bowl until smooth
- Stir in remaining ingredients
- Place rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
- Optional: Dip the top of each dough ball in coarse sugar
- Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degree preheated oven. (Don’t overbake or they will lose their softness!)
Other Homemade Christmas Goodies
- Homemade Eggnog Recipe
- Homemade Peppermint Patties
- Homemade Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream Cutouts
- 21+ Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
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Reader Interactions
45 Comments
SnoWhite saysI like the sound and look of these!
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- Ann M. Jones says
These sound wonderful but was wondering if I could sub coconut sugar for the other two mentioned?
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- Sue says
Jill, I’ve been making these for many years. They are my Gram’s recipe and look just like yours! They are a family favorite.
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- Miz Helen says
Those cookies look wonderful. Thank you for sharing and you have a great week.
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- Country Gal says
I love a soft cookie! The pumpkin ice cream sandwich cookies look yummy!
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- Lisa says
Wow! And cookie sandwiches too. I bet the pumpkin and molasses go really well together!
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- Ktietje85 says
Sounds delicious! I love soft molasses cookies.
I can't find your email address, but I was wanting to contact you about possibly doing a review/giveaway of my book, Real Food Basics. Please contact me if you're interested. Thanks! http://www.modernalternativemama.com
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- wacki04 says
Looks good!
I'd love for you to stop by What's Cooking Wednesday tonight (and each week) to share one of your recipes!
Hope to see you there!
Cristi
http://thekingscourt4.blogspot.com/reply to comment
- PurpleDancingDahlias says
Yum! I have modified this recipe too but those ice cream sandwiches look divine.
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- Christy says
I know I am super late to tell you thanks for linking this delicious cookie recipe to the Hearth and Soul Hop – but I just wanted to let you know that I have these bookmarked for my girls' "cookie party!" Thanks!
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- Sue says
This looks great! Molasses is high in magnesium to boot!
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- Sarah says
I saw your recipe and had to try it out today, along with buttermilk soaked bisquits (making them for tomorrow). The cookies are to DIE for! I love them. I did add some crystalized ginger to it though, which gives this lovely little extra to it. I will use this recipe more!
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- Jill says
Oh yay! SO glad you liked the cookies- you’ll have to let me know how the buttermilk biscuits turn out! 🙂
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- LOO says
My grandmother had several recipes for molasses cookies in her old cookbook, they must have been very popular in the old days. Her recipe for gingerbread had molasses in it, but no ginger. I think I was in my 50’s before I realized most people put ginger in there, haha. I found some old Welsh recipes done that way, too, and her grandmother had Welsh ancestry. Funny, eh.
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- Lydia C says
I was just wondering if it would work to substitute sprouted flour in these. They look amazing!
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- Jill says
I would think that sprouted flour would work just fine. Enjoy! 🙂
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- Melisa says
Lydia – I made mine with sprouted flour (wheat/spelt). I also let them soak for 24 hours before baking and used a little sourdough starter in the dough to boot. I used a little extra flour to absorb the starter and also because the dough seemed awfully soft. Other adjustments were using coconut sugar instead of sucanat and adding chopped candied ginger that I had saved from making water kefir. They are fabulous! I’m not sure I’m gonna have any left to share with my family tonight after dinner. That’s what they get for leaving me all by myself when I’m making cookies like these. 😀
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- Crystal says
I just took out the first batch of these and YUM! I’m taking them to a church function tonight and am so happy they turned out! I used 2 cups of organic whole white wheat flour and 1 cup of organic unbleached ap flour and they turned out great! I baked them for exactly 8 minutes and they were perfect, crisp on the outside and still soft and chewy on the inside! I did roll half of them in regular sugar and half not (for those like me who want to avoid it at all costs!). I’ll definitely be making these again and again!
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- Jill says
Yay! Love comments like this– they are one of my favorite cookie recipes. 🙂
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- Angela says
Made them today. Was trying to mult-itask, baking 3 different things at once and fielding my 4 young kids and I forgot to put the egg in – still turned out great. Yum!!!!!
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- Jill says
Hehe– good to know Angela– I know how that goes with kids in the kitchen!
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- Annie says
These cookies are SO good! I also rolled half in regular sugar (I don’t have flaky sugar), and I do think they looked better. This cookie recipe is what made me subscribe to your blog. I’ve never been able to make soft molasses cookies without some parts being undercooked, or just making them crunchy. I’m scared to make another batch. These were gone in about two days between my husband and I. Yikes!
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- Jill Winger says
Yay– so glad you enjoyed them! I know– I have a really hard time not eating the whole batch myself!
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- Tammy Kainz says
Absolutely delicious!!!!! Thank you for the new recipe. My whole family LOVES them.
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- Jill Winger says
Yay! So happy to hear this!
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- paul russell says
May I substitute sugar for sucanat and corn oil for coconut oil?
Thank you for your thoughts.
I made the French bread today and it was a big success!reply to comment
- Jill Winger says
Hey Paul– If you are going to substitute, I’d use brown sugar in place of the sucanant. As far as the coconut oil sub– I’d stick with a solid oil- I’m afraid a straight liquid oil will cause a mess. So glad you enjoyed the French Bread!!
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- paul russell says
Thanks for letting me know! Sure, I can use brown sugar. May I use xtra butter instead of coconut oil?
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- Jill Winger says
Yup- the butter should be just fine!
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- Diane says
When I was young my dad would buy dark molasses cookies . Now I can not find them anywhere. Does anyone have a recipe for the dark molasses cookies ? Thank you!
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- Shelley says
Yum! I make a similar recipe and at Christmas time dip the tops in green and red colored sugar. One of our favorites.
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- Bernadette Shiaka says
Thank you for the lovely recipe. Will try it soon……
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- Ro says
I just finally got around to making these cookies….. OMG, I just got the first batch out if the oven. Needless to say I am going to have to triple the recipe because I inhaled six in a matter of minutes….. excellent cookies. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Merry Christmas.
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- Jill Winger says
Yeah– it’s hard to stop at just one… or five… huh? Glad you like them!
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- Beka says
Wow, those look soooo good!
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- Dee says
Sounds great BUT how many does it make ?
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- Ilana says
I made 36!
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- Cheryl says
Please, can some one tell me how many cookies does this recipe make? Thank you.
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- Ilana says
I was able to make 36 total. Also in case anyone else is wondering this too, I used a gluten free flour and coconut sugar. 9 min was perfect! Gluten free can tend to be drier but they were still soft. So yummy!
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- Betty C says
Jill, thank you for creating and sharing your Soft Molasses Cookie recipe. I just baked them and they are delicious!
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- Mary says
do these freeze well?
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- Owl says
This recipe is wonderful! No one has tasted them and not loved them!
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Trackbacks
[…] Soft Molasses Cookies – I love molasses cookies, but I can’t even think of the last time I had some. I’m adding this one to my list as well, as it’s time to revisit a classic! […]
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[…] Soft Molasses CookiesI don’t know about everyone else but Molasses cookies scream “Christmas!” to me. […]
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[…] Soft Molasses Cookies […]
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