Molasses Ginger Cookies are an old-fashioned yet timeless favorite. A soft chewy center with the crispy crunch of a sugar-coated exterior makes for the perfect texture. Yet it is the combination of the deep sweet molasses and the spicy bite of the ginger that makes this cookie so satisfying!
Jump to RecipeMy grandmother used to make Molasses Ginger cookies when I was a kid, and they quickly became my favorite. She would bring a tin of them when she came to visit, and I’ve come to associate Molasses cookies with her and all the amazing things she used to bake in her farmhouse kitchen.
I had been missing the Molasses Ginger cookie of my childhood for so many years when recently my mom came across her recipe. One of the ingredients in them was lard, which growing up on a farm was a cooking staple. The difference was that the lard was rendered in home kitchens from pork that was raised on the farm. There were no additives, antibiotics, and other impurities that might be found in highly processed commercial lards of today. In place of the lard which is not a staple in my kitchen, I needed a substitute.
So instead of vegetable shortening or even butter, I substituted coconut oil. Coconut oil actually works perfectly in this cookie, offering the same soft chewy cookie without changing the flavor or even imparting the taste of coconut.
Preparing the Cookies
Molasses Ginger Cookies are simple to put together. The ingredients are not complicated, but the real key to soft cookies is in the proper proportions and in not overtaking the cookies.
Start by beating the coconut oil in a mixing bowl with the sugar.
Add the molasses and the freshly grated ginger until combined.
Beat in the eggs, then slowly add in the combination of the dry ingredients. Do not overbeat.
Using a cookie scoop, form balls of dough about the size of a walnut. Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar.
Evenly space them on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake in a 350F oven until browned. Do not over bake the cookies, but remove while still soft in order for them to remain chewy.
These cookies will keep in an airtight container for a couple weeks.
Molasses Ginger Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
- Cookie Sheets
- Cookie Dough Scoop
Ingredients
- 2 -1/2 cups Granulated Sugar (reserve 1/2 cup for rolling)
- 1 cup Organic Coconut Oil (substitute vegetable shortening or lard)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Full Flavor, Unsulfured Molasses
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsps Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp each Dried Ginger, Cinnamon, and Cloves
- 1 tbsp Fresh Grated Ginger Root
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and dried spices in a bowl and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl cream coconut oil and 2 cups of sugar. (Setting aside the other 1/2 cup in a dish for later).
- Add in 2 eggs and continue to mix until incorporated
- Add in molasses, vanilla and fresh ginger root and continue to mix until well combined
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to make sure it is well conbined.
- Using a cookie scoop or a large tablespoon create walnut sized balls of cookie dough, and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar to coat. Space evenly on a cookie sheet leaving about 2 inches between for cookies to expand.
- Bake cookies at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until set, turning pans half way through for even baking. Remove from oven while still soft. Do not overbake in order to maintain a chewy texture. Cool 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to brown paper to fully cool. Store in airtight containers.