Perfect Molasses Crinkles Recipe
Soft & Chewy Molasses Crinkles Cookies
How to Make Soft, Crinkle Top, Ginger Molasses Cookies
Hands down, these chewy molasses crinkles are my favorite cookie of all time. Soft, satisfying, and with an oh-so-comforting seasonal spice. Perfect for the holidays, and just the plain BEST molasses cookies you’ll eat anytime, anywhere!
Personally, I am a full-blown cookie fanatic, so I can be pretty particular about what I like. But, let me tell ya, these molasses crinkle cookies have it all. Just soft enough in the middle, irresistibly crispy around the edges, and bursting with flavor! The combination of sweet sugar and molasses with fragrant spices like ginger and cloves is just unbeatable.
Now, after testing and refining the recipe over many holiday seasons, I think it’s just right. Seriously, there are no soft molasses cookies out there that are quite as good as these! So, if you love a soft gingerbread cookie or just a GREAT cookie of any kind, give these molasses crinkles a try. One bite, and I bet you’ll have a new favorite!
I’ll show you how to make PERFECT molasses crinkles with real butter and blackstrap molasses. Plus, I’ll share my tips for the best taste and texture. Bake up a batch for a festive Christmas treat, or bake in bulk to give as gifts to the people you love!
Tips for Perfect Molasses Crinkles
As mentioned, I’ve made these molasses cookies every Christmas season for years now. And, every season I bake loads of batches, so I’ve probably made this recipe almost a hundred times (or more)… I’ve tweaked and refined the recipe along the way, and I’ve figured out a few secrets to making the perfect molasses crinkles every time:
Soften Butter Overnight
This is KEY. To make the truly chewy, soft molasses cookies that I crave, this recipe must be made with butter that’s actually softened. That means softening it the long way: at room temperature, for multiple hours. Personally, I recommend letting it soften on the countertop overnight.
No, butter won’t go bad if you leave it out that long. And I know, it’s a long time to wait and requires planning ahead. I’ve tried shortcuts like only softening it for a few hours or warming it over a double boiler, but the cookies just never turn out the same! For the chewiest, tastiest results, make your molasses crinkles with truly softened butter.
Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
Equally important, the best molasses cookies require the best quality molasses: unsulphured blackstrap molasses. This is essential to produce the distinct flavor and texture in these cookies! Yes, I’ve made this recipe using a standard unsulphured molasses (i.e., not blackstrap), and the cookies turned out completely different.
Best Enjoyed Fresh, But Can be Frozen
These molasses crinkles will store well and are great for gifts, but they are absolutely best enjoyed fresh! Once their scent fills your kitchen, I don’t know how you’ll resist them anyway. But, if you want to bake them in bulk or prep ahead for a busy holiday season, you also have the option to package and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Molasses Cookies Ingredient Substitutions
- Flour: This recipe works best and tastes best made with all-purpose flour. Several times, I’ve tried using a gluten free flour, and the cookies do bake but they never turn out as well.
- Butter: Real butter works best in this recipe, and I haven’t personally tried making it with a substitute.
- Sugar: These cookies turn out best made with white granulated sugar. I haven’t tested the recipe with brown sugar or coconut sugar, but be aware that either of these alternatives will likely alter the texture and taste.
- Egg White: Again, I have not tested any substitutes.
- Blackstrap Molasses: As mentioned, using a standard unsulphured molasses that’s not blackstrap is going to result in drastically different cookies. I strongly recommend taking the time to find unsulphured blackstrap molasses before trying this molasses crinkles recipe! Check your local health food store or grocery.
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To see how this recipe is made, check out my Molasses Crinkles & Mindful Eating video!
Chewy Molasses Crinkles Recipe
Ingredients
Molasses Crinkle Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 5 oz by weight
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 4 Tbsp salted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1 egg white
- 4 Tbsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Separately, cream together softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer.
- Add egg white and whip until smooth.
- Once smooth, add blackstrap molasses and beat to integrate.
- Pour dry mixture into wet mixture and fold to combine. (Don’t over-mix! Once integrated and you can’t see any white flour, stop mixing.)
- Prepare baking sheets with parchment and spray with cooking spray.
- Use a cookie scoop (1-1½ Tbsp) to portion dough and roll into balls with hands. Drop each dough ball into granulated sugar, coat on all sides, and transfer to baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Rest 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire baking rack to cool completely.
- Yields 16-20 cookies.
Storage & Freezing:
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- You can also freeze these molasses cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. This recipe works just as well when doubled, so feel free to prep in bulk and freeze a batch. (Although, of course, they’re best enjoyed fresh!)
4 Comments on “Perfect Molasses Crinkles Recipe”
These are my favorite cookie to make during the holidays
Me too, Joe! Molasses crinkles are an unbeatable holiday treat 🙂
I don’t know much about baking but these molasses crinkle cookies have something magical about them!! They’re sooo good I keep making them year-round. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Janeen, we agree with you! This molasses crinkles recipe is something we love to make in all seasons! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your love with us 🙂