My Grandma’s Molasses Sugar Cookies are sweet sugar cookies flavored with molasses, ginger and cinnamon. Crunchy outside and soft, chewy inside! Grandma really does know best!
12 Days of Christmas Cookies
These unique spiced cookies are like a cross between Old Fashioned Gingersnaps and gingerbread. Both amazing on their own but phenomenal when combined. [There is a Captain Planet joke in there somewhere. Just sayin’…]
Like all scrumptious old-fashioned cookies, I roll them in a generous amount of sugar prior to baking, which makes them extra sweet and crunchy on the outside!
I originally made my these Molasses Sugar Cookies to mail out for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, but when texted my Dad a picture of my cookies fresh out of the oven, he responded that these cookies were his & his dad’s favorite cookie! <Lots of exclamation points went along with the delivery of this message.>
So you know I had to bake another batch and send him some cookies too! Fortunately they are incredibly easy to make and the dough comes together in less than 15 minutes!
Both my dad and his sister, who gave me the recipe, insist that these cookies are great with milk and perfect for dunking…
They were right! Yum.
These cookies ship well but they do not retain their signature crunch on the outside – it is best to store them in a not-quite-air-tight container to maintain that perfect, dunkable crunch!
I was a participant in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, which benefits Cookies For Kid’s Cancer, and so I made and shipped out these molasses cookies to three food bloggers across the United States. It was also delightful to receive three packages of cookies in return!
There is nothing better than getting homemade cookies in the mail. Period. End of story.
Maybe not the end…end.
The Frugal Foodie Mama sent me the most delectable White Chocolate Dipped Cherry Shortbread Cookies! They were really just too adorable for words! It took all my self-restraint not to post multiple pictures of them on Instagram.
Grandma Loy from Grandma Loy’s Kitchen sent me rich, chewy Butterscotch Chocolate Oatmeal Bars in a homemade reusable snack bag! I tried not to devour them instantly. Don’t tell my husband but there are still some in the freezer!
And The Foodette sent me Pumpkin Sugar Cookies in a precious tin! They had a mild but lovely spice flavor!
My Grandma’s Molasses Sugar Cookies are surprisingly easy and are positively addicting! They have that perfect balance of crunch and chew and sugar and spice.
I made a singular change to the recipe, which was that I substituted half the shortening for butter. I did this for flavor and texture! Butter lover. Guilty as Charged.
These Molasses Sugar Cookies are for the seventh day of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. You won’t want to miss the Old Fashioned Gingersnaps, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Old Fashioned Oat Lace Cookies, Raspberry Linzer Cookies, Holiday Bark or Cherry Pecan Cookies!
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Grandma’s Molasses Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 dozen 1x
Description
My Grandma’s Molasses Sugar Cookies are sweet sugar cookies flavored with molasses, ginger and cinnamon. Crunchy outside and soft, chewy inside! Grandma really does know best!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup shortening
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ginger, slightly rounded
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Additional sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Melt shortening and butter together in a pan on low heat.
- While the butter and shortening melt, sift together flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; whisk to evenly distribute spices and soda. Set aside.
- In another large bowl add sugar, molasses and butter/shorting mixture; beat well with a hand mixer. Add eggs and beat well.
- In two additions add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir on low speed. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll into balls approximately 1 ½ inches across, roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes. For mostly soft, chewy cookies bake until the edges are brown and cracked but the centers are not.* For crispy outsides and soft centers bake between 10-12 minutes until the centers have started to crack.
Notes
*The cookies in the photos were cooked until the edges were brown and they started to crack but the centers were not yet cracked.
26 Comments
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen
December 15, 2014 at 9:17 amThose crisp edges and soft, chewy insides are calling my name! These look so perfect, especially with the sugar sparkle. Pinned!
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:22 pmThanks, Kristine! I must admit I liked the sparkle too! It made otherwise brown cookies seem festive!
Annie+@+ciaochowbambina
December 15, 2014 at 9:23 amYet, another winner! And of course, anything that begins with Grandma has to be good!!
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:21 pmHaha! Thanks Annie! I 100% agree with you – I will try any “Grandma” recipe.
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen
December 15, 2014 at 9:27 amWow Lindsey! I love the looks of these cookies. I can almost taste them from here. I know I would absolutely love to get these as part of this great cause! #fbcookieswap
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:20 pmIf only I had gotten you, Kristi! I would have packed extra just for you {hugs!}
Manali @ CookWithManali
December 15, 2014 at 11:31 amThese look perfect Lindsey! I can almost taste them through the screen. Pinned!
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:20 pmThanks for the pin and the compliments, Manali!!! You’re the sweetest!
marcie
December 15, 2014 at 3:13 pmThese look perfectly thick, soft, and chewy, and full of molasses flavor! Just.the.way.I.like it. 🙂
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:18 pmWe share that passion for chewy and molasses! I try to explain to my husband and he just doesn’t get it!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext.com
December 15, 2014 at 3:15 pmThese cookies look perfect! LOVE the rich, delicious molasses flavour, so amazingly good! Definitely gotta try these very soon!
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:18 pmThanks, Jess!! I hope you do try them!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
December 15, 2014 at 3:29 pmThese cookies look perfect, Lindsey! I would have loved to receive these in the mail! Soft and chewy with crispy edges are the best! You recipients must have polished these off in no time!
Lindsey
December 15, 2014 at 4:17 pmI wish I had gotten you!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
December 15, 2014 at 4:44 pm1-yessssss Captain Planet!
2-so sweet that this is a family recipe!
3-Omigosh-I love the crisp and sugary outside and the tender gooey insides! Molasses are soo so so good
Lindsey
December 16, 2014 at 12:26 amHaha! Thank gawd somebody appreciated my Captain Planet reference!
Connie @ Sprig and Flours
December 15, 2014 at 8:57 pmI can’t seem to stop looking at these beautiful cookies. They look so perfect and delicious! I love that this is your grandma’s recipe. Grandmas do know best (:
Lindsey
December 16, 2014 at 12:28 amAww thanks, Connie! Grandmas do know best!
David @ Spiced
December 16, 2014 at 9:33 amSo I’m going to go ahead and say that your Pops and I would be best friends. A cross between ginger snaps and gingerbread? And in easy-to-eat cookie form? Sounds like my heaven! Clearly I need to do some more stalking of the mail lady today. She’s a super sketchball! Hey…it worked yesterday. She totally had the gingersnaps hiding under her seat. I made her give them to me, and I’m eating them right now with my coffee. 🙂
Lindsey
December 17, 2014 at 1:52 pmLol! You show that mail lady who’s boss! You might just have to spend 15 minutes and bake these instead! 😉
Mary
January 20, 2015 at 3:03 pmThese were delicious. I was so thrilled when these showed up in my mailbox from the swap, and now that I’ve found your recipe I can’t wait to try them out. YUM!
Lindsey
January 21, 2015 at 10:45 amThanks, Mary!!! I hope you do make them! I am so tempted to make them again!
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Susan
December 18, 2019 at 6:16 amSo happy I found your recipe. My mom passed away this fall and she made these cookies every Christmas…with the sugar coating. Family favourite …I hope to continue this Hungarian tradition. Delicious !
Lindsey
February 10, 2020 at 5:37 pmI am so glad, Susan!