Molasses Crinkle Cookies

By Lily | Last modified on Dec 26, 2025

Featured in: Desserts

Molasses Crinkle Cookies bring a nostalgic warmth to your kitchen with their soft, chewy texture and beautifully cracked tops. Each bite offers a rich blend of molasses sweetness and spicy ginger, making these cookies perfect for cozy afternoons or festive gatherings.

The addition of chopped crystallized ginger brightens the deep flavors, while a sprinkle of crystal sugar on top adds a delightful sparkle and crunch. These cookies are simple to make but full of character, sure to become a household favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft and chewy texture with a beautiful crinkled finish.
Bright bursts of flavor from chopped crystallized ginger.
Quick and simple ingredients with easy preparation steps.
Perfectly balanced spices for warmth and depth.
Great for holiday treats or everyday snacking.

Ingredients

Brown sugar: Provides rich sweetness and moisture, creating a soft and chewy cookie base.
Butter: Adds creamy richness and tender texture to the dough.
Nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening: Enhances the softness and helps maintain shape during baking; can be substituted with additional butter.
Egg: Binds ingredients together while adding structure and richness.
Unsulphured blackstrap molasses: Delivers robust, complex sweetness and deep color to the cookies.
All-purpose flour: Forms the foundation for the dough, providing structure.
Baking soda: Leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and crackle on top.
Ground cinnamon: Adds warm, sweet-spicy notes enhancing the cookie’s flavor profile.
Powdered ginger: Contributes gentle heat and aromatic warmth.
Ground cloves: Provides a subtle, aromatic spice to deepen the overall taste.
Salt: Balances sweetness and intensifies flavors.
Chopped crystallized ginger: Adds zesty, chewy bursts of bright and spicy sweetness throughout the cookies.
Granulated sugar for rolling: Creates a lightly crispy exterior coating for an appealing texture contrast.
Crystal decorating sugar (optional): Sprinkled on top for decorative sparkle and additional crunch.

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Surface: Start by heating your oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking liner or parchment paper. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking for perfectly shaped cookies.
Cream the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, softened butter, vegetable shortening, egg, and molasses until fully combined. Creaming these ingredients together creates a smooth, luscious dough that will result in tender cookies.
Combine and Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and cloves. This step evenly distributes the spices and leavening agent, which is essential for consistent flavor and texture.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet molasses mixture until thoroughly blended. Then fold in the chopped crystallized ginger, which adds delightful bursts of spicy sweetness throughout each cookie.
Shape and Coat the Dough: Using a teaspoon or cookie scoop, form walnut-sized balls of dough, ensuring each includes some crystallized ginger pieces. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to add a subtle crunch and a beautiful exterior texture.
Arrange and Add Final Sugar Touch: Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. For extra sparkle, sprinkle crystal decorating sugar on top if desired, which enhances both appearance and crunch.
Bake to Perfection: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are firm, tops are crackled, yet centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking to keep their chewy texture. Once baked, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

You Must Know

For larger cookies, use a tablespoon to scoop and flatten slightly before baking, yielding about 18 bigger cookies.
Refrigeration of dough is optional; resting helps manage stickiness but is not required.
Do not overbake – chewy texture depends on removing cookies just as edges set.

Storage Tips

Allow cookies to cool fully before storing in an airtight container layered with parchment to prevent sticking. Keep in a cool, dry place away from sunlight for up to 5 days for best freshness.

To freeze, pre-freeze cookies single layer for 1-2 hours, then store in airtight containers with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Molasses crinkle cookies pair wonderfully with a hot cup of tea, coffee, or a glass of cold milk. They also make a festive addition to cookie platters or holiday gift tins.

For a touch of decadence, serve alongside whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Professional Tips

Use unsulphured blackstrap molasses for the richest, most intense flavor.
Ensure butter and shortening are softened to room temperature for creaming; this results in proper dough consistency.
Rolling dough balls generously in sugar enhances both texture and visual appeal.
Incorporate chopped crystallized ginger evenly to avoid clumping and ensure flavor bursts.

FAQs

Can I substitute the shortening with butter?: Yes, you can replace the vegetable shortening with an equal amount of butter for a richer flavor, although the texture may be slightly less soft.
How do I store leftover molasses crinkle cookies?: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature layered with parchment paper to maintain freshness up to 5 days.
Can these cookies be frozen?: Absolutely! Pre-freeze them on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours, then transfer to an airtight container, and freeze up to 2-3 months.
What can I use if I don’t have blackstrap molasses?: Regular molasses is an acceptable substitute, although blackstrap provides a deeper, less sweet flavor.
Why are my cookies not crinkling on top?: Make sure your baking soda is fresh and that you don’t overmix the dough. Baking at the right temperature for the correct time also encourages crinkling.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?: Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours, which may improve flavor and make handling easier.
Are these cookies gluten-free?: Not as written. To make gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum for structure.