Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar, for rolling
Do This
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2. Whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
- 3. In another bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg, molasses, and vanilla.
- 4. Mix dry ingredients into wet just until combined; do not overmix.
- 5. Scoop 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, then roll in granulated sugar.
- 6. Place 2 inches apart on sheets and bake 10–12 minutes, until crackled on top with set edges and slightly soft centers.
- 7. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Cookies crisp at the edges as they cool.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Thin cookies with beautifully crackled, sugar-dusted tops and irresistibly crisp edges.
- Tender, chewy centers and deep molasses flavor balanced with warm ginger and cinnamon.
- Simple pantry ingredients and one bowl for the wet, one for the dry—very doable on a weeknight.
- Perfect for gifting, cookie trays, or pairing with hot tea, coffee, or cold milk.
Grocery List
- Produce: Optional: fresh ginger (for an extra zing variation)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 large egg
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, unsulphured molasses, vanilla extract, baking soda, fine salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves (optional: nutmeg, black pepper, turbinado sugar)
Full Ingredients
Main Cookie Dough
- 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Optional but nice: 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg and/or a pinch (1/8 tsp) finely ground black pepper for extra warmth
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- Optional: 2 tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar, mixed with the granulated sugar for extra crunch and sparkle
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Line 2 large, light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper. Using parchment helps the cookies spread evenly and prevents sticking without adding extra grease, which can make them spread too much.
If your butter and egg are cold, set them near the preheating oven for a few minutes to take off the chill. Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and help create that perfect crinkly top.
Step 2: Whisk together the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt, baking soda, and, if using, nutmeg and black pepper. Make sure the spices are evenly distributed and there are no streaks of baking soda.
This step is important: pre-mixing the leavening and spices into the flour ensures even rising and consistent flavor in every bite of your cookies.
Step 3: Cream the butter, sugar, and molasses
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and dark brown sugar. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and slightly fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Add the egg and beat again until fully incorporated and creamy, about 30 seconds. Pour in the molasses and vanilla extract and mix on low just until the mixture is smooth and glossy. The batter may look slightly separated at first; keep mixing until it comes together.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Add about half of the flour-spice mixture to the molasses mixture. Mix on low speed just until most of the flour is incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and continue mixing on low until no dry streaks remain. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure everything is evenly combined.
Stop mixing as soon as the dough is uniform. Overmixing at this stage can toughen the cookies. The dough will be soft but should hold together easily when scooped.
Step 5: Shape and sugar-coat the cookies
Pour the granulated sugar (and turbinado sugar, if using) into a shallow bowl. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon, portion dough into balls, then roll each one gently between your palms to smooth it.
Roll each dough ball in the sugar to coat it evenly, then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. These cookies spread, so give them room. You should get about 30 balls of dough.
Step 6: Bake until crackled with crisp edges
Bake one sheet at a time for the most even results. Place the first sheet on the center rack and bake for 10–12 minutes. The cookies are done when:
- They have puffed and developed crackled tops.
- The edges look set and slightly darker.
- The centers still look soft and a bit underbaked.
Remember, the cookies will firm up as they cool. For thinner, crisper cookies, bake toward the longer end of the range; for slightly chewier centers, pull them out earlier as soon as the cracks form and the edges are set.
Repeat with the remaining tray(s) of dough.
Step 7: Cool, crisp, and serve
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. This allows the centers to finish setting while keeping the edges crisp. Then, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cool, the cookies should have a delicate snap at the edges and a tender, slightly chewy center. Serve with hot tea, coffee, or a glass of cold milk. Enjoy the warm spice aroma and deep molasses flavor with every bite.
Pro Tips
- Measure flour accurately: For best texture, spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale. Too much flour leads to thick, cakey cookies instead of thin, crackled ones.
- Use dark brown sugar and regular molasses: Dark brown sugar and unsulphured (not blackstrap) molasses give the best balance of deep flavor and sweetness without bitterness.
- Watch the bake time closely: Pull the cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. Overbaking will make the entire cookie brittle instead of crisp-edged and tender-centered.
- One sheet at a time for consistency: Baking one tray in the center of the oven gives the most even heat and predictable spreading, especially if your oven has hot spots.
- Cool completely for maximum snap: The cookies become crisper at the edges as they cool. If you like more crunch, let them sit uncovered on the rack for 30 minutes before storing.
Variations
- Extra-spicy ginger snaps: Increase ground ginger to 3 tsp and add a pinch (1/8 tsp) of finely ground black pepper for a pleasant, warm kick. Great with very hot tea.
- Softer, chewier molasses cookies: Make the cookies slightly larger (about 1 1/2 tablespoons dough each) and reduce the bake time by 1–2 minutes. Pull them as soon as cracks form and the edges are just barely set.
- Orange-spice twist: Add 1 tsp finely grated orange zest to the wet ingredients and a tiny pinch of cloves or nutmeg to the dry for a subtle citrus note that pairs beautifully with the molasses and ginger.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you prefer them crisper, keep the lid slightly ajar for the first day so a bit of moisture escapes. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
To make ahead, prepare the dough, shape into balls, and freeze them in a single layer on a tray. Once firm, transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, roll the frozen dough balls in sugar and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time. This is an easy way to have fresh, warm ginger-molasses cookies on demand.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per cookie (1 of 30): about 100 calories, 4 g fat, 15 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 0.5 g fiber, 9 g sugar, and 80 mg sodium. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredient brands and cookie size.
