Ever try to tackle a molasses cookies with ginger spice recipe and end up with hockey pucks? Been there. I wanted soft and chewy cookies yet kept getting hard lumps. These days, I’ve figured it out and now, honestly, these cookies disappear faster than cold lemonade at a summer cookout. Oh, and you might want to follow them up with something fresh—like this bright and zesty lemony lentil salad with feta—for a sweet-and-savory day. If you’ve got ten minutes, a bowl, and some courage, you can pull off these crave-worthy cookies. 
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies Ingredients:
Okay, let’s cut to the chase—ingredients matter. Forget weird stuff you’ll only use once. Grab these and you’re golden: regular old flour, baking soda, brown sugar (honestly, the dark brown kind gives the best flavor, but don’t stress), good butter, one egg, hearty molasses (the sticky black jar at the back of the shelf, you know the one), and, of course, ground ginger. I’m heavy-handed with the spice, but if you’re timid, back off a smidge at first. Cinnamon and just a pinch of cloves are musts for warmth—skip the cloves, and yeah, you’ll notice. Salt makes everything pop. Last, don’t forget extra sugar for rolling the dough balls.
Not sure about the butter? Salted or unsalted works, but you get a slight edge with unsalted if you ask me. I grew up on the bulk kind from the store—no shame. Oh, and don’t burn your money on fancy molasses. Regular does the trick every time. 
How To Make Molasses Cookies:
Start easy: soften your butter (don’t microwave it until melted, or you’ll get weird, flat cookies). Cream it with brown sugar ’til it’s kind of fluffy. Toss in your egg and molasses—pause to appreciate that rich, syrupy swirl—and mix until smooth.
Dry stuff, next! Flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Whisk those together before you dump them in. Chuck it all in and stir until there’s just no flour streaks left. Don’t keep mixing or your cookies might get tough—learned that the hard way!
Scoop dough (I use a spoon, no fancy tools) and roll in that extra sugar. Plop ’em down, spaced out, on a lined tray. Baking is quick— like, eight minutes. They look a bit underdone—this is the secret to that chewy magic. Let ’em cool a hot second before diving in.
“As soon as I tried this recipe, my entire family was hooked. No more store-bought. These taste like my grandma’s but even softer.” – Paula, Tulsa, OK
Possible Variations:
Not everyone’s after a nuclear ginger fireball—so, adjust the spice if you want. Dial it up or mellow it out. Chopped crystalized ginger gives it a chewy bite, like little spicy surprises in every cookie. Once, I tossed in a fistful of white chocolate chips—okay, wow. That combo’s a keeper around the holidays. You can also swap half the molasses for maple syrup if you want a lighter flavor.
Some folks love adding orange zest (yep, trust me) for freshness you weren’t expecting. These cookies also go wild with a handful of toasted pecans or chopped walnuts. My friend swears by it—though full disclosure, I mostly just eat them plain because I’m a creature of habit. So, mix and match. Can’t really wreck it.
Storing and Freezing Molasses Cookies:
Here’s the part people forget: storage. If you want them soft all week, store the cookies in a lidded container with a slice of sandwich bread. Why? The cookies snatch the moisture from the bread. It’s science… or maybe just kitchen voodoo, but it truly works.
Pop extras in a freezer bag if you made too many. They freeze like champs. Just pull out as many as you want, let them sit at room temp—bam, almost like fresh. I once found a bag of these in my freezer from two months back, and nobody could tell. Mind-blowing.
Tips to Make Great Cookies Every Time:
- Chill your dough for 30 minutes if your kitchen’s warm
- Always use fresh baking soda, not lurking-in-the-cupboard relics
- Underbake slightly for that perfect chew
- Roll dough balls in sugar for crackly, sparkly tops
Common Questions
Why are my cookies going hard after baking?
Chances are, they’re overbaked. Watch them a minute early. They set as they cool.
Can I use blackstrap molasses?
You can, but it’s pretty strong and bitter. Light or regular molasses is friendlier.
Egg substitute okay?
Sure, try a flax egg. The texture changes a bit, but it’s still tasty.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yep! Scoop and freeze in balls. Bake from frozen—just add a minute or two.
Is there a way to make them gluten free?
Switch to your favorite one-for-one gluten-free flour blend. Not quite the same, but close enough for most folks.
Seriously, Give These a Try
Alright, if you want chewy, deeply spiced cookies, this molasses cookies with ginger spice recipe wins. They’re easy, even a bit forgiving, and way better than anything from a store shelf. Next time you need an easy dessert idea, these have that five-star restaurant feel—without fancy pants ingredients or complicated steps. Plus, you can always switch it up by checking recipes like Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies on Gimme Some Oven or Ginger Spiced Molasses Cookies from Olive & Mango for fresh inspiration. So, what are you waiting for? Time to bake like you mean it! 
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Soften the butter without melting it; then cream it with brown sugar until fluffy.
- Add the egg and molasses to the mixture, and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until no flour streaks remain.
- Scoop the dough using a spoon and roll into balls, then coat in granulated sugar.
- Place the dough balls spaced apart on a lined baking tray.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for about 8 minutes; the cookies should look slightly underdone.
- Let them cool for a moment before enjoying.