These molasses cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie. They make the whole house smell like spices as they bake. They have slightly crisp edges and stay chewy and soft for days.

Your future favorite Christmas cookie:

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Chewy Molasses Cookies

Soft and crinkly molasses cookies with lots of spice flavor and slightly crisp edges.  The perfect Christmas cookie for gifting or keeping

• Author: Katie Shaw
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x
• Category: cookies
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: American, European

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup plain sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 heaping tsp. ground ginger
• 1 heaping tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• Sparkling sugar,  for rolling

Instructions

1.  Using electric mixer at medium speed, beat shortening and white sugar together for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy, scraping down sids as needed.
2. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, mixer together remaining ingredients (except sparkling sugar).
4. Add to shortening and sugar mixture one cup at a time.  Mix at low speed after each addition until just combined
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in fridge one hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 convection bake OR 375 on regular bake.  Shape into tablespoon sized balls and roll in sugar individually.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes, depending on how crisp you would like the edges.  Cool on racks.

Notes

Like most cookie dough, this freezes very well.  Just shape, roll in sugar, and place the dough balls on a cookie sheet.  Freeze on cookie sheet for a few hours, then place in freezer bag and freeze up to a few months.  Just add a minute or so to the baking time if baking from frozen.

Keywords: molasses cookies, Christmas cookies, soft cookies

These are the best.  I know this because I once brought a batch of them to my daughter’s preschool Christmas party.  That evening, one of the moms sent out a school-wide email with a picture of them, asking who brought them and could they please have the recipe.  Life has been downhill ever since.

Molasses cookie baking tips

• Molasses is sticky to work with, so I always spray the inside of my measuring cup with a non-stick spray. It helps it slide out easily and clean up faster.
• Make sure you chill the dough as the recipe states. Otherwise, the cookies will spread out too much and be flat and crispy, not soft.
• Sparkling sugar is coarser than normal sugar and gives the cookies a beautiful crunch and sparkle. If you can’t find it, regular white sugar will do fine.
• A cookie scoop is great for these and any other drop cookies. King Arthur Flour stocks the highest quality ones.

More Christmas baking:

• Santa will love chocolate chip cookies with caramel and pretzels.
• If you need another easy drop cookie, try these super soft family favorites.
• See all Christmas recipes here.