Soft Molasses Cookies (Rena’s Family Recipe)
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Bake a batch of soft molasses cookies with this old-fashioned family recipe. Thick, cake-like, and perfectly spiced, these drop cookies are a holiday favorite.
These soft molasses cookies are filled with the warm holiday flavors of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses. The rich, earthy sweetness pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.
Family recipes are treasures that connect us to the past. Every time we pull out a handwritten card or recall the way someone just knew how much of an ingredient to add, we bring those loved ones back into our kitchens. I’ve spent years collecting and recreating family recipes, and this one is especially close to my heart.
This old-fashioned molasses cookie recipe comes from my husband’s mother, Rena. She baked an amazing assortment of holiday cookies, but these soft, cake-like molasses cookies were always his favorite. Today, they continue to be a loved tradition in our home, a sweet reminder of the holidays and the memories baked into every batch.
Tips for Making Soft Molasses Cookies
This old-fashioned New England recipe has been handed down through generations, and like many family recipes, it leaves a little room for flexibility. Rena often baked these as soft drop cookies, but sometimes she’d add more flour, roll out the dough, and cut them into shapes with cookie cutters.
However you make them, here are a few tips to help your soft molasses cookies turn out perfectly every time:
- Let the Butter Warm Up: Creaming softened butter with sugar and molasses traps air in the dough, giving you a lighter, fluffier cookie. Cold butter won’t blend well, and melted butter doesn’t hold air, which may even dissolve the sugar, resulting in dense or flat cookies. Be sure to take your butter out of the fridge to warm to room temperature for about an hour before making your cookies.
- Chill the Cookie Dough: After mixing the ingredients, pop the dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour before baking. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape. It hardens the butter slightly, preventing the cookies from flattening when baked. It also gives you those classic round, puffy, cake-like cookies.
- Scoop Evenly: Use a tablespoon, or a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop (a #60 scoop) to portion the dough quickly and consistently. Each ball will be about 1 to 1 1/4 inches across, which helps the cookies bake evenly and keeps their soft, cake-like texture.
- Don’t Overbake: Pull the cookies out of the oven as soon as the edges are set and the centers still look soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, keeping that tender, soft texture.
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies (Step by Step)
You can find the detailed recipe at the bottom of this article, but here are the illustrated steps for making molasses cookies.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Before you begin, make sure you have everything measured and ready to go. See the full recipe card below for exact measurements. You’ll need:
- All-purpose flour: The base that gives structure.
- Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder help the cookies rise.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves add cozy holiday flavor.
- Molasses: The star ingredient that makes these cookies rich and soft. Use unsulphured regular molasses, not blackstrap.
- Butter, sugar, and egg: For sweetness, moisture, and tenderness.
- Water: Helps bring the dough together and adds moisture for that soft, pillowy cookie.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough
- Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Then set the bowl aside while you mix your wet ingredients.
- Beat the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, molasses, and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer and paddle attachment at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and water, and continue beating until combined.
- Add the dry to the wet ingredients: Reduce your mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture a little at a time. Mix well and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed after each addition.
- Chill the dough: Once everything is combined, cover and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and bake up soft and puffy.
Step 3: Shape and Bake the Cookies
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 375˚F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Portion the dough: Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (each ball will be about 1 to 1 1/4 inches across) and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. A cookie scoop makes this step quick and ensures even baking, but you can use a spoon.
- Flatten the dough balls slightly with wet fingertips.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until the edges are set, about 8 to 10 minutes. The centers should still look soft. That’s what keeps these cookies tender and cake-like once cooled.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool briefly. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the baking sheets cool, and repeat with the next batch until all the cookie dough is used.
Storage and Freezing Soft Molasses Cookies
Once cooled completely, store your soft molasses cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They’ll stay tender and flavorful if you keep them sealed to prevent drying out.
For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully. Layer cookies between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Serving Ideas
These old-fashioned soft molasses cookies are versatile and perfect for the holidays:
- Enjoy warm from the oven with coffee, tea, or a tall glass of milk.
- Pack into festive tins or jars for thoughtful homemade gifts.
- Add to a Christmas cookie tray alongside Italian anise cookies, biscotti, gingersnaps, or your other family favorites.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert twist.
Make-Ahead Tips
Holiday baking is easier when you plan ahead! These soft molasses cookies are perfect for preparing in advance:
- Freeze cookie dough: Make the cookie dough, and instead of chilling, scoop and shape dough balls, arrange them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Bake ahead and freeze: Bake the cookies in advance, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
FAQs About Soft Molasses Cookies
Over the years, I’ve received lots of great questions from readers about this recipe. Here are some of the most common ones, along with my answers to help you bake the best batch of soft molasses cookies every time:
Why are my molasses cookies hard or dry? They were likely baked too long. Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges are set and the centers still look soft. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Can I roll out these cookies instead of dropping the dough? This recipe is meant for soft drop cookies, but you can add a little extra flour to make the dough firm enough to roll and cut with cookie cutters. That’s how Rena sometimes prepared them for the holidays.
What kind of molasses should I use? Choose unsulphured molasses for the best flavor and soft texture. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which has a bitter taste and is too strong for cookies. Rena used Grandma’s original unsulphured molasses, and I continue using Grandma’s brand when baking these cookies.
Can I add ginger to these cookies? Yes! If you prefer soft ginger molasses cookies, add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger to the dry ingredients. The cookies will still be soft and cake-like, but with an extra kick of spice.
Can I add dates or raisins to this recipe? Absolutely. Stir in about 1 cup of chopped dates or raisins after mixing the dough. Chop them into small pieces so they distribute evenly without weighing the cookies down.
Can I frost these cookies? Yes. A simple vanilla glaze or butter cream frosting spread over cooled cookies makes a lovely finish. Just keep in mind that frosted cookies are best enjoyed within a few days.
Soft Molasses Cookies (Rena’s Family Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Then add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, molasses, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg, add the water, and mix until well blended.
- Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture a little at a time, and mix until well blended. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten balls slightly with wet fingertips. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool cookies on a cooling rack. Makes 48 cookies.
Notes
- Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freeze baked cookies: Layer between parchment in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Freeze cookie dough: Scoop 1-inch balls of dough with a #60 cookie scoop. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
A Holiday Classic Worth Baking
Every family has a recipe that feels like home, and for us, it’s these soft molasses cookies. Thick, cake-like, and warmly spiced, they bring back memories of Rena’s holiday baking every time I make them. Whether you enjoy them fresh from the oven with a glass of milk or pack them into festive tins for sharing, they’re a sweet way to celebrate the season.
If you’re looking for more holiday favorites to add to your cookie tray, try Auntie’s Italian Anise Cookies, Toasted Almond Biscotti, or explore my list of 30+ Homemade Food Gifts from the Kitchen.
10 Cookie Mix in a Jar Recipes eBook
Homemade gifts are always appreciated because they come from the heart. Even if you are not crafty, you can give DIY gifts to your family and friends with these easy recipes for making cookie mix in a reusable jar.
These cookies are delicious! I only got 28 cookies probably because I didn’t use a scoop. I frosted the cookies. Thanks
Thanks, Coleen! I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Can I add dates to this recipe? If so can you recommend how many and should I chop them up into small pieces before adding?
April, Dates sound like a delicious addition! You can try adding about 1/2 cup of chopped dates to the dough. Be sure to chop them into small pieces so they mix in evenly. If they’re sticky, tossing them in a little flour can help prevent clumping. Let me know how they turn out!
I have been searching for my Grandmother’s recipe for years. It was soft cake like molasses cookie that was chilled, and rolled out to be cut using a round glass. She never wrote it down. I just remember her chilling the dough and rolling it out. She cut them out like she would a biscuit. They had crispy edges and cake like puffed center. These are the closest I have found. Can this dough be rolled out?
Theresa, Yes, Rena would often use this recipe to roll out and cut into circles or with cookie cutters. To do this, you’ll need a stiffer dough so it’s easier to handle and holds its shape. You might need to work in some extra flour to form a stiffer dough and then dust your surface and rolling pin with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Thank you for sharing your memories of your grandmother’s cookies. I hope this helps you recreate the cookies that bring back such special memories! Let me know how it turns out. 😊
thank you so much for this recipe its so delicious but the only problem that I’m facing is that when i make the balls they are so sticky and if i use my hands the dough sticks on it
Lela, Thank you for your kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies. To make handling the sticky dough easier, try chilling it first. Once chilled, use a spoon to scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and then use a knife to help transfer it to the baking sheet. Wet your fingertips slightly with water before flattening the dough. This should help prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. I hope this helps!
why do you flattened with wet fingers .
Deborah, Flattening the dough before baking helps the cookies spread and bake evenly and discourages puffing. Using wet fingertips helps to prevent the dough from sticking.
Can the dough be frozen prior to cooking? Will it change the texture of the final product? I need to make these for my mil 90th birthday celebration. I plan on making this recipe(it is her fav) times 3. We absolutely LOVE the soft pillowy cookies and wouldn’t want to do anything to compromise the texture. Please advise.
Glennis, Yes, you can absolutely freeze the dough! For best results, scoop and shape the dough into balls first, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid and transfer to a freezer bag or well sealed container. When you’re ready to bake, you can place them straight from the freezer onto the baking sheet — just add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time. The cookies will still turn out soft and pillowy, so your mother-in-law can enjoy her favorite cookies at the celebration.