This Molasses Cookies recipe belongs in your recipe box. It is after all one of the most treasured of old fashioned Christmas cookies.
Molasses Cookies an Old Fashioned Christmas Cookie
As a child, I remember my mother making a lot of different old fashioned Christmas cookies and candies. My parents have always had a fondness for both antiques and local history. It sort of made sense that I would come home from school to a mother covered in flour, with an old cookbook in hand making batches of cookies.
This recipe for Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies is just the sort of thing she would make, especially since it doesn't call for butter. My parents had a tight budget, so if you ran out of something you made due, until your shopping trip. We lived in a rural area & it took a bit of time and gas to get to the grocery store.
The molasses cookies are crisp, akin to a ginger snap, but not a s pungent.
How to Make Molasses Cookies
The full printable Molasses Cookies recipe can be found below.
Ingredients You Need
- 1 egg large
- ⅔ cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses unsulphered
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ¼ cups flour unbleached , but all-purpose is fine
- sugar and cinnamon for rolling
Ingredient note: Most light oils are fine for these cookies. Light or classic olive oil (NOT extra virgin), avocado oil, vegetable, canola, or safflower. Sea salt is an equal substitute for the Kosher, if using iodized table salt you will use less (closer to ¼ tsp).
Method
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and lining baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner for easy clean up. You can bake right on an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer.
- Next whisk together the egg, sugar and oil.
- Then mix in the molasses, spices, salt and baking soda. Of course we need lots of spices, to team up with the molasses and bring an authentic old fashioned flavor to the cookies.
- Now add your four, mix well. You will end out with a stiff dough. The cookie dough is made stiff, so it can easily be rolled into balls.
- Sprinkle your counter or a large shallow bowl with white sugar and cinnamon. Then shape the cookie by rolling one tablespoon sized balls of the dough on the sugar.
- Arrange the molasses cookie dough balls on liner or directly on baking sheets. They will flatten out and develop the traditional crinkled molasses cookie appearance while baking and cooling.
More Old Fashioned Christmas Cookies!
- Cherry Almond Cookies
- Snowball Cookies Recipe
- Double Chocolate Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
- Lemon Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- large baking sheets
- stand mixer (optional)
- silicone baking sheet liner or parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 egg large
- ⅔ cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses unsulphered
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ¼ cups flour unbleached , but all-purpose is fine
- sugar and cinnamon for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat egg in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in oil & sugar.
- Add the molasses, spices, salt and baking soda, mix well.
- Now, add the flour and mix well. It will make a stiff dough.
- Sprinkle a rolling surface with sugar and a little cinnamon (use a shallow bowl if you prefer)
- Roll 1 tablespoon size scoops of the dough into balls and coat in the cinnamon sugar.
- Place on ungreased baking sheet, approximately 3" apart.
- Bake 12-13 minutes, until golden brown and crinkled on top.
- Cool and serve.
Nutrition
Greta says
These are amazing! I followed the recipe exactly, and then the final step, I rolled them in Penzey Cinnamon/Sugar mix. They definitely satisfied my desire to smell Fall scents in the house...and my sweet tooth!
Robin Gagnon says
That sounds like an amazing addition to these cookies.
Lisa says
I just made these, LOVE them, but I will double up on the spice! Rolled in sugar and cinnamon and they are beautiful and tasty!!
Gita Freed says
I just found your recipe and can’t wait to bake these. Just one question - can I use gluten free flour (one of those 1:1 replacement ratios) instead? I have an elderly friend who loves home baked goods but can’t have gluten.
Thanks!
Robin Gagnon says
Yes, that should be fine. I've heard cup4cup is better for more tender baked goods, but the king Arthur brand is a good all purpose choice.
Gita Freed says
Hi Robin, I just made these with the gluten free flour and they came out delicious! My friend is going to love them. Thank you!