It’s the most wonderful time of the year, time to make Aunt Linda’s famous Molasses Sugar Cookies, a must-try cookie recipe!
The BEST molasses sugar cookies! Perfectly spiced with a crispy edge and a soft, chewy center.
Best Old-Fashioned Molasses Sugar Cookies
Perfectly spiced old-fashioned molasses cookies (Aunt Linda’s treasured recipe) – crispy on the edges with a soft, chewy center. Our family and friends think these are the best molasses cookies around, Santa agrees! These nostalgic cookies are a cinch to make and are a wonderful addition to holiday cookie trays, perfect for cookie swaps too. They also make a wonderful gift.
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest (Photos)!
Original Post Date, October 26, 2016. Post Updated, November 26, 2023
I made this batch of cookies with my sister during my visit to Alaska last month. I’ve wanted to add this recipe to my blog for years. So a special thank you to my sister, Anastasia, for all the baking we did during my trip.
For this recipe, the dough is made ahead of time and refrigerated. We always make the dough the night before. The dough needs to be thoroughly chilled, which takes approximately 4–6 hours.
Please note, when the dough is thoroughly chilled and ready to be rolled, the dough will be very stiff.
When these cookies are baking, the house fills with the sweet smell of the holidays. Someone cue the music, “Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la.”
If you are looking for a terrific molasses cookie recipe, just like grandma used to make – look no further!
The Best Old-Fashioned Molasses Sugar Cookies
Perfectly spiced old-fashioned molasses cookies (Aunt Linda's treasured recipe) - crispy on the edges with a soft, chewy center. Our family and friends think these are the best molasses cookies around, Santa agrees! These nostalgic cookies are a cinch to make and are a wonderful addition to holiday cookie trays, perfect for cookie swaps too. They also make a wonderful gift.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups butter or Parkay Original Margarine, at room temperature *see notes below
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark molasses
- 2 eggs, beaten
Remaining Dry Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Turbinado or Sparkling sugar to coat the unbaked cookies
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs and molasses until completely blended.
- In a separate large bowl, mix all the remaining dry ingredients together. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and mix well until combined completely. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate overnight.IMPORTANT – The dough needs to be thoroughly chilled. When the dough is thoroughly chilled and ready to be rolled, it will be very stiff. Allow at least 4 to 6 hours to chill.
When dough is ready to bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and coat them with Turbinado sugar. Bake the cookies on a sheet pan, placed 1–2 inches apart, for 10-12 min. The cookies should crackle on top and have golden edges.
- Recipe makes 6 to 8 dozen, depending on size.
Notes
*Note
If you were to ask my aunt which to use, butter or Parkay, she would say (passionately), Parkay! The original recipe, which dates back to 1981, calls for Parkay Original Margarine. Parkay can sometimes be difficult to find, especially in Alaska. If you can’t find Parkay, use butter – the cookies turn out wonderful! When it comes to margarine, I recommend ONLY using PARKAY ORIGINAL MARGARINE. Some brands of margarine have a higher water content and will make the cookies super flat.
If you were to ask my aunt which to use, butter or Parkay, she would say (passionately), Parkay! The original recipe, which dates back to 1981, calls for Parkay Original Margarine. Parkay can sometimes be difficult to find, especially in Alaska. If you can’t find Parkay, use butter – the cookies turn out wonderful! When it comes to margarine, I recommend ONLY using PARKAY ORIGINAL MARGARINE. Some brands of margarine have a higher water content and will make the cookies super flat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Vivian
I make these cookies all the time and they are so good. The only thing I do different is I put 1 cup of cut up pieces of candied ginger in mine. I love the extra punch of ginger that it gives.
Denise frederick
Stupid question…can these be made into balls, flatten w/glass and baked?
Mary Neumann
Hi Denise,
All the years making these, we have never flattened them with a glass – but you could test a dozen cookies with the dough. I think they should still retain the crispy edges and soft, chewy center. These are not a fat cookie, they are thinner and fabulous!
You can read reviews and see a couple photos of the cookies here, from people who tried the recipe on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/25825397846680096/
Jill Johnson
Hi Mary, well oh my goodness thank you for this recipe! 😮 I just loved it and my family said better than your grandmas! 😮 I guess that says it all .. they are crispy and thin and go “crunch” … so perfect! Jill in WA
Lynn
Do you flatten these cookies before baking?
Mary Neumann
No Lynn, do not flatten before baking.
Leslie
My dad used to make what he would call Ginger snaps, but truly it was exactly this molasses cookie recipe except he had two teaspoons each of the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They were that bit of crunchy on the edge but soft and chewy inside, with an intensely warm flavor. He passed away 8 years ago so it’s probably been at least 10 since I’ve had these cookies. I think I’m inspired to make a batch for this Christmas. 😊
Merilee
I was given a recipe very similar to this one, in the instructions it says to bake cookies until golden brown on edges and the center is puffy, then take them out of oven and slam the cookie sheet on the counter to make them deflate. It works! Makes cookies with a crisp edge and a nice chewy center.
Linda
If butter is used, should it be salted or unsalted. I wish I could print the recipe with a picture.
Mary Neumann
Linda, salted butter. And sorry there is no photo with the printout for the recipe,
Mary Neumann
You can now print the recipe with a photo 🙂
Julie Steffen
Can these be made with sugar substitutes? My husband is diabetic but would love these!
Mary Neumann
Julie, I have not used sugar substitute, but maybe someone has and will see your question and let you know.
Cheryl Olson
I learned to make these cookies when I was in Bluebirds. Has been a favorite foe all these years, I am 62 now.
Bernadette
Thx for sharing this recipe can I use the parkay squares instead as I have it at home…
Thx
Susan Marie Wood
My molasses cookies are turning out really flat and not crinkly on the top. I used unsalted butter for the recipe. What can I do to help them???!!!!
Erin
How can you adjust the recipe so that it is hard and crunchy throughout? We don’t really like any softness to our cookies. Thanks!
Kathleen
You can try cooking them at lower temp for a bit longer. Other ways to make cookies “crunchier” is to use an all purpose flour or you can try eliminating the egg. Using real butter will make cookies crunchier as well. 😊
Betty-Jean
The sugar to coat them, does regular sugar work too?
Fadia
Something about this websites recipes. It’s like magic. I tried the chocolate chip cookies and the molasses and they both looked and tasted just like the bakery. It’s amazing. First cookie success ever!!
Wilson
No, they will flatten when heated. Comes out great. Also, I have always rolled the dough balls in powdered sugar…wow, does that really add to the molasses flavor. When you taste it, you’ll be hooked😎👍
Sandra
A must try, sounds yummy!!
Anonymous
Can I use real butter instead of margarine?
Mary Fitzgerald
I have found it difficult to scoop the dough when it is very chilled. So now I form the balls while the dough is still softer, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and fill it with the balls. Then I chill the entire pan. When they come out of the fridge I roll them in the sugar and proceed as directed. Much easier on my arthritic old hands.
marysweetlittlebluebird
Anonymous – Turbinado sugar is sugar in the raw.
Head here to read/learn more: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/about/turbinado-sugar-45
marysweetlittlebluebird
Hi MaryJane, Sorry to hear. It sounds like your baking soda may not be fresh. Try using fresh baking soda.
Maryjane olea
Why do my cookies not want to crack and when I take them out of the oven then go all flat like pancakes and they are all gooie in the middle
Anonymous
What is turbinado or sparkling sugar?
Debra Cates
Are these cookies good for freezing?
marysweetlittlebluebird
Happy baking, Annetta!
marysweetlittlebluebird
Thank you, Marsha! We had a great visit and did tons of baking and cooking for the blog. I'm excited to share the rest of the recipes!
Annetta
O,K. Thank you very much. Now on to the cookies……..
Tara
Hi, Do you still need to put 1 teaspoon of salt when you use salted butter
marysweetlittlebluebird
There are 3 sticks of butter in the photo above – they are short and fat, you can't really see the other stick. You need 1 and 1/2 cups of butter for this recipe, Annette. *Not all sticks of butter are 1/2 cup each.
Annetta
In the recipe it calls for 1 and a half cups of butter which is 3 sticks yet the pic of the ingredients it shows one and a half sticks. Which is right?
Marsha Baker
I LOVE Molasses cookies! How awesome is it that you got to bake these with your sis and to be able to share this priceless recipe with all of us!!!!