Recipe

Rustic Molasses Cookie Recipe

Chewy-centered, crisp-edged molasses cookies with deep caramel spice and a crackly sugar coat. Cozy, bold, and dangerously snackable.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

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These are the cookies I make when I want my kitchen to smell like someone has their life together. You know the vibe: warm spices, dark molasses, buttery edges, and that little sparkle of sugar on top that makes a humble cookie feel like it showed up dressed for an occasion.

This rustic molasses cookie recipe leans decadent and indulgent without getting precious. The dough is forgiving, the ingredients are pantry-friendly, and the payoff is big: chewy centers, crisp rims, and a bold molasses-spice backbone that holds its own next to coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk.

Why It Works

Molasses does the heavy lifting: It brings deep caramel flavor, moisture for chew, and that classic old-fashioned darkness without needing anything fancy.
Brown sugar plus butter equals cozy: Brown sugar adds a toffee note and helps the cookies stay soft for days, while butter gives the edges a little crisp.
Steady heat, short bake: A 350°F oven and a quick bake keep the centers plush. The real secret is pulling them while the middles still look slightly underdone, plus baking soda and that sugar roll doing their crackly magic.
Sugar roll for sparkle and texture: Rolling the dough balls in sugar creates a crisp, sweet shell and those beautiful rustic cracks.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. If you want to keep them extra chewy, tuck in a small piece of bread or a flour tortilla for a day or two. Replace it once it dries out.

Re-crisp the edges: If they soften too much, pop a cookie in a 300°F oven for 2 to 4 minutes, then cool for a minute. Watch closely so they do not dry out.

Freeze baked cookies: Freeze in a zip-top bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Freeze the dough: Scoop into balls, roll in sugar, freeze on a sheet pan until firm, then bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Common Questions

What kind of molasses should I use?

Use unsulphured molasses, often labeled “original” or “dark.” (If you have the choice, “dark” gives the boldest flavor.) Avoid blackstrap for this recipe. It is much more bitter and can overpower the warm spice flavor.

How do I keep molasses cookies chewy?

Do not overbake. Pull them when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft and puffed. They finish cooking as they cool on the pan.

Why didn’t my cookies crack?

Usually one of three things: the dough was too warm, your baking soda is old, or the oven temperature ran low. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes and making sure your oven is truly at 350°F helps a lot.

Can I make them ahead for a party?

Yes. These actually get better after a few hours as the flavors settle. Bake the day before, cool completely, and store airtight at room temperature.

Can I add mix-ins?

Absolutely. Try mini white chocolate chips, crystallized ginger, or chopped toasted pecans. Keep it to about 3/4 cup total so the cookies still spread and crack nicely.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Mixing bowls
Hand mixer or stand mixer (optional, but nice)
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) or spoon
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Cooling rack

I made my first real batch of molasses cookies during a cold week when I was trying to feed myself like an adult, but still wanted dessert that felt like a blanket. I remember thinking, “This dough looks too dark. Did I mess it up?” Then the cookies came out crackly and glossy, smelling like spice and toasted sugar, and suddenly I was standing at the counter eating one while the next tray baked. That is the rustic molasses cookie experience: a little messy, very cozy, and completely worth turning the oven on for.

Rustic Molasses Cookie Recipe

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings About 24 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/3 cup (120 g) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional, but very good: 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt for a tiny finish on top after baking.

Instructions

Heat the oven: Preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If baking both sheets at once, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. You are looking for lighter color and a slightly airy texture.
Add egg, molasses, vanilla: Beat in the egg until smooth. Add molasses and vanilla and mix again. The dough will look darker and a little looser. That is normal.
Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. If the dough feels very soft, chill for 20 to 30 minutes for easier scooping and better cracks.
Scoop and roll: Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar until coated. Place on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
Bake: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. If you are baking two sheets at once, rotate the pans halfway through and swap their positions (top to bottom) for even baking. The cookies are done when the edges look set, the tops are crackly and slightly shiny, and the centers still look a touch soft and puffed.
Cool: Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. If using flaky salt, sprinkle a pinch on each cookie while they are still warm.

Tiny troubleshooting tip: If your first tray spreads too much, chill the remaining dough for 30 minutes. If they do not spread enough, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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