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

Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies

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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 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. So it's in this recipe, and it does make these cookies so soft and luscious.

 

Aren't these 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 do I need to make these delicious cookies? 

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Granulated sugar for rolling cookies

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 easy to make molasses cookies? 

I love that they 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!

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.

Printable Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe: 

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

 

Yield: 24

Old Fashioned Soft Molasses Cookies

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and molasses until well blended.

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.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

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.

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on a rack for 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.

Notes

Looking for more great cookie recipes to bake? 

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! 

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

 

Double Butterscotch Cookies

Chewy & Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

 

Linked up to Made By You Monday at Skip To My Lou, and Tasty Tuesday at CreativeKKids.