Soft & Chewy Blackstrap Molasses Cookie Recipe

The holiday season is the perfect time to make this soft and chewy blackstrap molasses cookie recipe. This soft cookie has the right amount of warm spices and a deliciously soft chewy center.

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Blackstrap Molasses Cookie Recipe Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour– I don’t have a favorite brand, I usually use the store brand or whatever is cheapest.
• Baking Soda– I usually use Arm & Hammer but have tried a few generics over time with no issues.
• Salt– This recipe calls for a little bit of table salt.
• Ginger, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg make up the warm spices that give this old-fashioned molasses cookie recipe its perfect flavor. You could use fresh ginger if you prefer, but keep in mind that it mixes well in this recipe when it’s in a powdered form.
• Butter- I have used salted butter for this recipe but you can use unsalted as well. I never worry much about this because most of my favorite cookie recipes call for salt. The only rule here is to use real butter, which is a rule for most of my favorite cookie recipes.

• Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar– While I wish this was a recipe for healthy blackstrap molasses cookies, this just isn’t the case. This recipe calls for both brown and white sugar but in my opinion, these soft molasses cookies are worth indulging in. Especially during the Christmas season, we can all ask Santa to share proof that there are health benefits of eating these chewy ginger molasses cookies.
• Egg- I usually have jumbo eggs on hand so that is what I used for this recipe.
• Vanilla Extract– Many of my recipes call for vanilla extract and I use the regular run-of-the-mill kind usually. If these cookies weren’t so perfect, next time I would try using Mexican vanilla, but these chewy cookies are literally perfect so I can’t bring myself to change them even a little bit.
• Blackstrap Molasses– This dark molasses lends itself to creating soft chewy centers in these old-fashioned cookies. I prefer to use black strap molasses rather than regular molasses because it has a bold flavor and it gives these chewy cookies soft chewy centers.

Blackstrap Molasses Cookie Recipe Instructions

Be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for full instructions and measurements.

The first step in this recipe is to mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Then with a paddle attachment, mix together the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric mixer or a hand mixer to mix the dough.

Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix them together.

For best results slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, reserving some of the white sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls in when it’s time.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, I was able to make 16 large cookies with this recipe and used 2 large baking sheets to bake them. The number of cookies you get out of this recipe will depend on the size of your dough balls.

Pro Tip: You may find that room-temperature dough sticks to the bottom of the bowl. If this is a problem, you can refrigerate the dough for an hour before forming dough balls and adding them to the prepared baking sheet. This may make it easier to work with but I have found that room temperature works fine for this recipe.

Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. Shape the dough into dough balls, refrigerate if needed, and then roll the balls in granulated sugar before placing them on the prepared sheet pan.

Do your best to refrain from eating the molasses cookie dough, it’s really difficult and after doing this work you deserve a treat but no matter how good the dough is, I promise you that these cookies are even better once baked.

Bake for 8-9 minutes in an oven preheated to 375 degrees. The bake time will vary depending on your baking sheet and oven but be sure to not overbake. In order for these cookies to retain their chewy texture it is really important to pull them out of the oven on time.

Do not transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack or cooling rack, keep the cookies on the baking sheet for about twenty minutes past the bake time before removing them.

You can sprinkle more sugar on top of the baked cookies if some of the sugar spilled off the first time.

What Is Blackstrap Molasses?

When comparing black strap molasses vs regular molasses I chose blackstrap for this recipe because I had to consider which molasses is best for cookies. Since blackstrap molasses has a stronger flavor than regular molasses it is my go-to for baking.

You may wonder if blackstrap molasses can be substituted for regular molasses, the answer is yes but there will be a difference in flavor. I have found that blackstrap molasses gives gingerbread and other versions of this Christmas cookie its distinctive flavor so I usually only use this kind.

If you are looking for more recipes for blackstrap molasses, you have to try the best old-fashioned gingerbread recipe.

How to Store Blackstrap Molasses Cookies

These cookies will stay soft and chewy for a couple of weeks if stored in an airtight container. These cookies have a pretty good shelf life when stored properly, so be sure to seal completely if using plastic wrap.

Although this recipe resembles gingersnap cookies, this is a much chewier cookie with crackly tops and a soft texture. It is important to keep them stored in an airtight container so they can retain their perfect texture.

More Holiday Cookie Recipes

If you loved these chewy molasses cookies, check out these recipes for filling up that cookie jar.

If you are creating a Christmas cookie plate this Classic Italian Rainbow Cookie Recipe is sure to be a hit.

These no-egg chocolate chip cookies are another holiday favorite that will stand out on any plate of cookies.

If you are looking for a unique sandwich cookie, this Easy Empire Biscuits Recipe is the perfect treat to enjoy this time of year.

Another classic recipe that would make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray is this oatmeal cookies recipe made with instant oatmeal packets.

If you are looking for an easy gluten-free cookie, try this keto snickerdoodles recipe. No sugar or xanthan gum is required for this holiday cookie.

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