Ginger Molasses Cookies
These Ginger Molasses Cookies will have you ready for the holiday season. They bake up soft, chewy, and perfectly spiced with warm ginger, rich molasses, and a hint of bright orange zest in every bite. Rolled in sparkly turbinado sugar, each cookie bakes into a beautifully crackled top with a crunchy exterior and a soft, tender center—truly the perfect holiday treat.
What Makes These Cookies Special
These Ginger Molasses Cookies aren’t your average holiday cookie. Here’s what sets them apart:
Crystallized Ginger – Little bursts of spicy-sweet ginger throughout each bite make these cookies extra gingery and gives a nice little kick.
Orange Zest – A hint of citrus brightens the warm spices and balances the richness of the dark molasses.
Turbinado Sugar – Rolled in sparkling turbinado sugar instead of plain granulated sugar, each cookie bakes up with a perfectly crackled, crunchy top.
Black Pepper – It may sound unusual in a cookie, but trust me, just a pinch adds subtle warmth and depth, making it the perfect finishing touch to the spice blend.
Ingredient Overview
- Unsalted Butter: Room-temperature butter is key for easily creaming together with the sugars and creating a soft, chewy texture.
- Sugar & Brown Sugar: A mix of granulated and dark brown sugar creates chewiness, while the dark brown sugar enhances the rich molasses flavor.
- Orange Zest: Adds a bright, citrusy note that pairs perfectly with ginger.
- Crystallized Ginger: Little bursts of spicy-sweet ginger throughout make each bite extra flavorful. You can usually find this in the baking section at your grocery store, or shop it here.
- Egg: Binds the dough and helps create a tender, chewy crumb.
- Molasses: The signature flavor that makes these cookies rich and sweet. I like using the Grandma’s brand molasses.
- Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt: The essential foundation of the dough.
- Spices: A warm blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and black pepper gives these cookies their cozy, holiday flavor.
- Turbinado Sugar: Large crystals of raw sugar create a sparkly, crunchy coating that makes these cookies shine.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar
In a separate bowl, add the softened butter and both sugars. Add the zest of half an orange and the chopped crystallized ginger. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add egg and molasses
Add the egg and molasses and mix on low speed until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add dry ingredients
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Scoop, coat in sugar, and bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a small (1 ½-tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll each cookie in turbinado sugar to coat completely. Arrange them on a baking sheet about ½ inch apart. This recipe makes about 22 small cookies, so bake in batches or use multiple baking sheets. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and beginning to crack around the edges. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Blue Mountain Baker’s Tips
Chop the Crystallized Ginger: You can leave the ginger in larger pieces, but I like to chop it finely so it disperses evenly throughout the cookies. This gives a subtle, consistent gingery kick in every bite instead of biting into one big, spicy chunk.
Roll in Turbinado Sugar: Don’t skip this step! Rolling the cookies in turbinado sugar adds a sparkly, crunchy coating and a beautifully crackled finish that makes these cookies look as good as they taste.
Round your Cookies: Want that bakery-perfect look? Use a slightly larger round cutter or cup to gently nudge any misshapen cookies into circles while they’re still warm and pliable.
Ginger Molasses Cookies FAQ
Nope, this is totally optional! The cookies will still have plenty of ginger flavor from the ground ginger, and you can always add a little extra if you want an even stronger kick. The crystallized ginger simply adds little pops of warm, spicy sweetness, but the dough itself has lots of flavor from the molasses and spices.
If the dough sits out for a while, the surface can dry slightly, which makes it harder for the sugar to stick. No worries—there’s an easy fix! Lightly dampen your hands with a bit of water, gently roll each dough ball between your palms to moisten and smooth the surface, then roll it in the sugar.
No problem at all. Turbinado adds a lovely crunch and sparkle, but you can easily roll the dough in granulated sugar instead. It won’t be quite as crunchy, but it will still bake up beautifully.
Absolutely! Scoop the dough into 2–3 tablespoon portions for larger cookies. Increase the baking time as needed—start with a few extra minutes and keep an eye on them. The edges should look set and slightly crackled, while the centers stay soft for that perfect chewy texture.
If Somehow You Have Leftovers…
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft and chewy and keep their flavor beautifully.
Make Ahead:
The dough can be portioned and refrigerated 1–2 days in advance for easy baking later. When you’re ready to bake them, roll in the turbinado sugar. If the exterior has dried out a bit, lightly dampen your hands with water and roll each dough ball to moisten the surface—this helps the sugar stick.
Freezer-Friendly:
You can portion the dough into balls and freeze them for up to 1 month. Portion onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then pop them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, pull out however many you want, let them thaw just until soft enough to handle, then roll in sugar before baking. Add an extra minute or two to the bake time if needed.
Holiday Cookie Box Ideas
Here are some more cookie recipes that would be perfect additions to your holiday cookie box!
I hope these Ginger Molasses Cookies become a new holiday favorite in your home. What’s your go-to holiday cookie? I’m always gathering new ideas for my own cookie boxes each year!
If you enjoyed this recipe, leave a comment and let me know—I love hearing from you.
As always, thank you for being here. Wishing you the warmest, coziest holiday season!
XO, Blue Mountain Baker 💙
Recipe Card
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Citrus Zester
- Cutting board and knife for chopping crystalized ginger
- cookie scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature,113g
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed 115g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from about half an orange
- 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger finely chopped
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup molasses 84g
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 315g
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars. In a separate bowl, add the softened butter and both sugars. Add the zest of half an orange and the chopped crystallized ginger. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg and molasses. Add the egg and molasses and mix on low speed until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed, or by hand, until incorporated.
- Scoop, roll in sugar, and bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a small (1 ½-tablespoon) cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll each cookie in turbinado sugar to coat completely. Arrange them on a parchment lined baking sheet about ½ inch apart. This recipe makes about 22 small cookies, so bake in batches or use multiple baking sheets. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and beginning to crack around the edges. Allow to cool completely before serving.
