Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies - Basil & Salt Living

Chewy, spiced, and lightly dusted with sugar — a true December classic.

There’s something undeniably nostalgic about a tray of soft ginger molasses cookies cooling on the counter, their tops crackling as they settle and their spicy aroma filling the kitchen. These cookies are everything we crave this time of year—chewy, warm with ginger and cinnamon, and kissed with a snowy dusting of sugar. They don’t need frosting or fuss; they shine in their simplicity, pairing beautifully with a quiet cup of tea, a holiday movie, or late-night wrapping sessions. Classic, cozy, and endlessly giftable—this is the cookie tin favorite we keep coming back to.

Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Cream the butter + sugar.
In a separate bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
Combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until the dough comes together. Chill the dough for 30 minutes for the perfect chewy texture.
Shape + coat.
Scoop 1-inch balls, roll lightly in sugar, and set on a parchment-lined sheet. Leave space — they spread beautifully.
Bake.
Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes, until the tops are crackled and just set.
Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.
Dust + serve.
Once cooled, give them a snowy whisper of powdered sugar (optional but gorgeous for photos).

Chef’s Notes

These freeze beautifully; rewarm for 5 minutes at 300°F and they taste like they just came out of the oven.
For extra depth, swap half the sugar for dark brown sugar.
If you love a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne — it wakes up the spices without tasting spicy.