Ginger Molasses Cookies

These Christmas Ginger Molasses Cookies are soft and chewy, rolled in sugar, baked until crackly, then dipped in dark and white chocolate and finished with crystallized ginger and festive sprinkles. They are perfect for gifting, cookie exchanges, edible gifts, and Christmas dessert platters and cookie boxes.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword ginger molasses cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Servings cookies

Calories 209kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar plus extra for rolling
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup mild molasses
1 large egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate

4 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
4 ounces white chocolate finely chopped
crystallised ginger finely chopped
festive sprinkles

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

How to make ginger molasses cookies

In a medium mixing bowl add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together, then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugars, then beat with a handheld electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and beat again until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on a low speed until just combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours).
When the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a 1 ½ tablespoon measure, scoop the dough into balls, then roll in granulated sugar. Alternatively, you can weigh each dough ball to ensure cookies of uniform size, in which case, opt for around 30g each.
Place the cookie balls on the baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are crackly. Remove from the oven then allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to decorate

Meanwhile, melt the dark and/or white chocolate separately.
Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate then place on parchment. While the chocolate is still wet, decorate as desired. We added some chopped crystallized ginger and festive sprinkles to our cookies.
Leave the chocolate to set then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Dark chocolate: Use good-quality chocolate baking bars, not chips. I recommend dark chocolate in the 55–70% cocoa range. Bars are formulated to melt smoothly and coat thinly, while chips contain stabilizers that keep them chunky and often turn thick or grainy.
White chocolate: For contrast, choose real white chocolate made with cocoa butter—not “white baking chips.” Skip chips entirely; they don’t melt or coat cleanly.
Mild molasses: I use mild or “original” molasses so the flavor is rich but not bitter; do not use blackstrap molasses for this recipe because it can make the cookies too dark and strong.

Storage, Freezing, Make-Ahead

Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days. If stacking, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent the chocolate from smudging.
Refrigerator: Not necessary for freshness, but if your kitchen runs warm, you can refrigerate them for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving so the chocolate softens slightly.
Freezer: The baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Unbaked dough: The dough can be rolled into balls and frozen raw for up to 2 months. Roll into balls first, freeze solid, then store in a zip-top bag in the freezer. When ready to bake, roll the frozen dough balls in granulated sugar and bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

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