Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies

You'll love these chewy, spicy soft molasses cookies. They're one of our favorite homemade cookie recipes to bake in fall and winter! Easy to make molasses cookies are great for your holiday platters as well as year-round snacking.

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Can you smell them through the internet? I call these “old fashioned” Soft Molasses Cookies because the recipe comes from my mom. Plus, it has an old fashioned ingredient I've never posted about before–Crisco.

Why use Crisco in these molasses cookies?

I think the only time I cook with shortening is when my mom is visiting. It's part of our history! I grew up in the good ‘ol Midwest, so I did grow up eating lots of comfort food, fried food, and Crisco.

Therefore, it's in this recipe, and it does make these cookies so soft and luscious. I prefer using the Crisco sticks since they're easy to measure and store in the pantry.

Aren't molasses cookies just for Christmas time?

No way! This year, my mom came to visit in August since she can't do the cold weather months anymore (she lives in Arizona).

Our family tradition is to bake Christmas cookies together, especially gingerbread, but my kids didn't want to do that since it was summertime.

These Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies were a great compromise–the great smells of gingerbread in a spongy, soft cookie. The point is that these cookies are great year round treats!

What ingredients do I need to make soft molasses cookies?

• shortening
• light brown sugar
• egg
• molasses
• all-purpose flour
• salt
• baking soda
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• granulated sugar

After you make molasses cookies, you end up with a jar that sits in the pantry till the following year. Right?! That's why I wrote what you can make with molasses.

Want to make these cookies for yourself? Here's how:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and molasses until well blended.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Chill for at least an hour, or until firm.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Roll the chilled dough into small balls about 3/4-inch in diameter. Roll each in the granulated sugar, and place on the baking sheet, leaving 1-2 inches between cookies.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on a rack for 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.

Are these molasses cookies easy to make?

I love that these cookies don't need to be rolled out and cookie-cuttered. I prefer low maintenance recipes, you know!

If you accidentally overcook these, they won't be “soft,” but they're still great as dunkers!

And, if you really don't want to make them as round cookies, you can always make ginger molasses cookie bars.

What kitchen gear will make my life easier when baking?

You know I'm all about making things easier in the kitchen. It doesn't matter if I'm baking alone or with the whole family, these are some of my favorite tools in the baking department. 

I used my favorite stackable cooling racks for the photo above and these cookie sheets.

Are these gluten-free molasses cookies?

Unfortunately, these are not. If you want to replicate the chewy texture but use gluten-free ingredients, I recommend you use Bob's Red Mill 1-for-1 Flour. I've picked it up at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods before. Check out this recipe for chewy gluten-free molasses cookies.

Can you freeze molasses cookies?

Of course! Just like most cookie recipes, you can let these cool and then store them in freezer bags in your freezer for up to three months.

However–that never happens in my house! These old fashioned cookies get gobbled up quickly.

These cookies make a great gift, an awesome treat for the office, and of course, they go great for holiday gatherings with the whole family.

More Cookie Recipes

It's never a bad time to bake cookies, right? Here are some of our other favorite cookie recipes for you to try. Make sure to let me know your favorite ones in the comments below!

• Double Butterscotch Cookies
• Chewy & Spicy Oatmeal Cookies
• Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• Cake Mix Cookies

Not in a cookie baking mood today or this week? That's okay! You can easily print this recipe out and save it for the next time you are in baking mode.

Printable Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe:

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