Soft Molasses Gingersnap Cookie Recipe

Soft molasses gingersnap cookies are rich with deep flavors and are perfect for the holiday season.

The chewy molasses cookies fill up the kitchen with the most wonderful scents of the season. 

Christmas Cookies

Old fashioned molasses cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie exchange parties, office parties, or as gifts for friends and neighbors.

The recipe is an easy one and will make at least three dozen cookies.

And, that’s one of the great things about the recipe–you don’t have to do much baking to come up with enough cookies for gifts or the cookie swap.

Molasses is one of those ingredients that gives the recipe so much more flavor. And, then when you pair it with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, they taste fantastic!

What Ingredients Are Needed To Make The Ginger Snap Cookies? 

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Dry Ingredients:

• White sugar 
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ginger

Wet Ingredients:

• Shortening
• Eggs
• Molasses

How Do I Make The Soft Molasses Cookies?

1. Mix part of the sugar and the shortening in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the eggs and molasses and mix.
3. Next, add the baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and flour and mix. (It is very thick).
4. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls.
5. Place the remaining sugar into a small bowl. Roll the balls in the sugar and place on cookie sheet approximately 2-inches apart.
6. Bake, cool, and enjoy!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Start by adding the sugar and the shortening to a large bowl and mix the two ingredients together with an electric mixer or stand mixer.

Add the eggs and molasses and mix.

The dark molasses will add a ton of sweetness to the cookies. Be sure to use regular molasses and not blackstrap molasses.

Blackstrap has a bitter taste and won’t taste very good in the cookies.

Next, add the flour, spices, and baking soda to the bowl and mix. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as you go.

I love the warm spices that smell and taste like fall and winter.

Unless you have a Kitchen Aid type mixer, you will have to finish mixing by hand or every bit of the batter will stick to your beaters–speaking from experience – wink, wink because it is a thick batter. 

Roll into cookie dough balls about 1-1/2-inches around, roll in some sugar, and set on the cookie sheet. 

This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so I broke out three cookie sheets. Two of them are stoneware and the other is a metal pan with a silicone mat. 

I have to admit, I really like the way the stoneware cooks.

The cookies have a tendency to burn on the silicone mat faster than the stoneware. I think the stoneware cooks things more evenly. Just my take on things. 

If you use a silicone mat, bake the cookies for about 11 minutes.

If you’re using a stoneware pan, bake for approximately 13-14 minutes.

It will smell amazing while the cookies bake.

Keep an eye on them, because they can burn fast on the bottom of the cookie. 

I love these because they have crackly tops and the center is soft and chewy.

All you need is a tall glass of milk and some quiet while you enjoy them.

Aren’t they gorgeous? I had to run an errand after I baked the cookies and when I returned I was hit with the smell of the holidays. I wanted to stand in the kitchen and just sniff the cookies.

Christmas is the perfect time of year to make the cookies.

How To Store The Cookies

You can store the cookies in an airtight container, or cover with some plastic wrap. They can stay at room temperature.

You can add some powdered sugar on top to make the cookies even prettier!

Wrap them up in some cellophane and take them to teachers, neighbors, family, or friends for the holidays. 

More Popular Recipes

• Chewy sugar cookies – the perfect chewy cookies.
• Easy white chocolate chip cookies – just like your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
• Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar – one of my favorite recipes.
• Brownie mix cookies – this is one of those cookie recipes that’s not only easy but decadent.
• Tender Italian sugar cookies – the tender cookies are out of this world delicious.

Easy Molasses Cookies

Check out the soft molasses cookie recipe card below, grab the simple ingredients, and start baking! This is a delicious cookie recipe that you will love.

Then, share your comments below and share a picture of your cookies on the Pinterest Pin!  If you made any changes or added something different, be sure to share it with us so we can try it, too!

We love to hear about how you tried a different ingredient, so let us know!