Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
5 from 1 vote
Published: December 11, 2020Updated: December 29, 2020Author: Camille Beckstrand
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
These soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies turn out perfect every time - they are a tried-and-true family recipe! They taste like gingerbread cookies, but are soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. You can also make these cookies ahead of time and freeze until you need them.
Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe

Is there a better cookie out there, than these Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies? We don’t think so either.

I have been searching for the perfect soft ginger cookie for a long time now . . . and I think that I have finally found it!

I made some of these cookies to take around to the neighbors for Christmas and I had so many people ask me for the recipe.  They are that good!

Growing up, my mom’s ginger cookies were my favorite. I love the spiciness that comes from using cinnamon, cloves, and molasses. And the smell that comes from the oven while these are baking . . . pure heaven!

Many people love to bake these cookies during the holidays, but I love them year round!

However, I like to make these Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies especially around Christmas time. They are Santa’s favorite, so we are just trying to keep the big guy happy!

Ingredients needed for Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies:

  • All-purpose flour – I usually use unbleached all-purpose flour, but if you want to make them a little bit healthier, you could use white whole wheat flour
  • Spices – you are going to need ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves (plus a little bit of salt)
  • Egg and baking soda – these are going to keep your cookies soft and fluffy
  • Butter – you definitely want to use unsalted butter (not margarine!) and it needs to be softened to room temperature (if it’s melted, the butter will not cream with the sugars as well)
  • Sugar – I used white sugar because of the added molasses, but you could do half brown sugar and half white sugar if desired
  • Molasses – I just use a full flavor original molasses that I find at the grocery store
Prepear app on phone
“I have so much time!” – No mom ever!

Let us give you your time back!

Let us give you your time back with the Six Sisters’ Meal Plan Membership! We do the dinner planning, grocer ordering, and all you have to do, is decided whether you want your groceries delivered or picked up!

Get My Meal Plan Now!

When I make these cookies, I always make sure that I NEVER overbake them. In fact, I tend to err on the side of UNDERBAKING them because I prefer that my cookies are super soft.

If you cook these for too long, they will become like crunchy gingersnaps. If you prefer your cookies to be more crunchy, feel free to bake them longer.

I start out baking these cookies for 7 minutes. If I feel like they need a little more time, I will cook them for an additional minute, but not a second longer! 8 minutes is my maximum baking time for a soft cookie.

Cookie dough for ginger cookies

Can you freeze these ginger cookies?

Yes, you can definitely freeze these Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies! If you are making a ton of cookies for the holidays and want to get ahead, these are a great cookie to make early in the season in toss in the freezer.

Here are some tips to help you freeze these cookies:

  • Let your Soft and Chewy Ginger cookies cool completely.
  • Transfer cookies to an airtight container (a freezer gallon-sized resealable bag works great) in a single layer – store the cookies in multiple bags if you have more cookies than will fit in one bag because if you stack them, your cookies will freeze together and be hard to separate.
  • I recommend eating the cookies within 1-2 months for the best flavor, but they will last for up to 3-4 months.
  • When you are ready to eat, thaw the cookies at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you want a warm cookie, stick it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
  • Indulge in our favorite, Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies!
Stacked ginger cookies

Our newest cookbook

Have you heard about our restaurant cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!

Every recipe has a beautiful mouth-watering photo and has been picky-eater approved. The directions are simple, easy to follow, and do not require any strange ingredients.

This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.

We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!

Six Sisters’ Stuff COPYCAT COOKING <—– Click here to order!

Other cookies you will love:

Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies flat lay
Serves: 30

Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe

5 from 1 vote
These Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies are Santa's favorite cookie! They are perfectly soft and chewy!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup sugar for rolling dough

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium bowl, sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together butter and one cup sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in egg, then stir in water and molasses.
  • Fold in flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and mix until well combined. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 7-10 minutes.
  • Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 118 kcal · Carbohydrates: 18 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 5 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Cholesterol: 18 mg · Sodium: 100 mg · Potassium: 56 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 10 g · Vitamin A: 150 IU · Calcium: 10 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Cookie Sheet

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Camille Beckstrand

Be sure to not miss another recipe!
Follow Six Sisters’ Stuff on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube

Leave a Review!

We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or review here.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*.

Rate This Recipe!




  1. Victoria says:
    January 28, 2012
    made these tonite! ~~~Seriously, these are the best cookies EVER!!!! Thanx for your recipe!
    Reply
  2. Mary says:
    February 2, 2012
    Is this recipe high altitude or will I need to make adjustments?
    Reply
  3. Suzy says:
    December 15, 2013
    Have to laugh, its the same recipe as is on the back of my molasses.
    Reply
  4. Cynthia says:
    December 15, 2013
    First, these look amazing. And sound even better. I've been researching ginger cookies and I think these are the ones I'm going to try first. But I have a question. In all the research I've done, I've read in several places that a pinch of cayenne really makes the flavor of the ginger pop. My question is.... have you ever tried using cayenne with your ginger cookies? Thanks so much for all the wonderful recipes you post. You're definitely not helping my waist line, but my tummy thanks you (as do my kids).
    Reply
    • Tracy says:
      December 20, 2013
      I have I love cayenne in my gingersnaps, definitely gives them a kick!
      Reply
    • Susan says:
      March 13, 2016
      I use white pepper in mine - heats them up nicely! Also, I roll them in sugar w/ginger before baking!
      Reply
  5. Erica says:
    December 16, 2013
    I LOVE molasses ginger cookies. Alas, I live at high altitude. The adjustments I usually make for baked goods can't keep these from being flat and not puffy. They still taste delicious, though.
    Reply
  6. Jessy says:
    December 22, 2013
    How come you use margarine and not real butter? Would it taste different with butter? I'm just not a margarine lover.
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 27, 2013
      You could totally use butter rather than margarine. Butter tends to give you a flatter cookie, so watch it closely. Butter has a delicious taste. Butter or margarine, it will still work out!
      Reply
      • KimK says:
        December 3, 2014
        I would try using the convection oven to keep the cookie fluffy and use real butter.
        Reply
  7. joan says:
    March 8, 2014
    what can i do to make this healthy thank you
    Reply
  8. Ashley says:
    August 30, 2014
    I'm excited to try this recipe! Although it never says when to add the dry ingredients. I'm assuming after the molasses?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      August 30, 2014
      Hi Ashley, Thanks for the heads up on that recipe. Yes, add in the dry ingredients after the molasses. This is one of our earliest recipes and we have been trying to go back and update them all. Have a great weekend!
      Reply
  9. Mary says:
    August 31, 2014
    Same exact recipe on allrecipes.com ,I use it all the time and it's amazing. Was something changed on this recipe?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 3, 2014
      Hi Mary! We got this recipe from a neighbor at a church function! We love these big soft chewy cookies! Thanks so much for stopping by our blog! Have a great week! Cyd (mom of the Six Sisters)
      Reply
  10. Karla says:
    September 5, 2014
    These cookies are sooo delicious! I am only half through baking the batch and cannot stop eating them! Thanks for the recipe!
    Reply
  11. Sarah says:
    November 3, 2014
    Made these a few weeks ago. My husband told me last night "if I don't get some more of those ginger cookies, there's gonna be some trouble". LOL. Just a note, the first time I made them, I used two baking trays. The first was lined with parchment, and the second had a silicon baking sheet. The parchment cookies were flatter and tougher. The silicon cookies were fluffier and softer. Both tasted wonderful, but the textures were just slightly different. I'll be using the silicon baking sheet from now on. I just bought another so now I HAVE to make these again!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      November 5, 2014
      We love the silicon baking liners!
      Reply
  12. Julie says:
    November 30, 2014
    Would maple syrup work OK instead of molasses? i know it's blasphemy to not use the molasses in ginger cookies but I'm wondering if anyone's done this. Thank you!
    Reply
  13. Daisie says:
    November 30, 2014
    How many cookies does one recipe yield? Thanks!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 1, 2014
      Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
      Reply
  14. Denene says:
    March 26, 2015
    Just finished making these cookies....they are amazing! Have eaten three of them already! The only thing I did differently was to use butter instead of margarine like the recipe states. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing
    Reply
  15. Ann Marie says:
    January 2, 2016
    I made these cookies and they are delicious, my son loves them. The first time I made them, I flattened slightly like the recipe states. The second time I left them rolled in balls and they still got extremely flat. I can't seem to get them thick and fluffy like the picture but they are still very good. Any suggestions? Thank you
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 5, 2016
      If your dough is too sticky add a little more flour or refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes.
      Reply
  16. Kim says:
    December 3, 2017
    These are amazing! Will now be in my rotation of 3 favorite cookies!
    Reply
  17. Veronica says:
    December 7, 2017
    Can I use honey or Maple syrup instead of molasses? Where i live it is difficult to find. Thanks
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 11, 2017
      The recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of molasses. But this substitution is for 1 cup, so you would need to reduce these amounts. Replace one cup of molasses with one of the following: 1 cup dark corn syrup, honey or maple syrup 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup water These substitutions may alter the taste of your recipe a bit. If the molasses flavor is vital to the success of your recipe, try the brown sugar substitute. Since brown sugar is made from granulated sugar and molasses, it'll be the closest flavor match. The maple syrup or dark corn syrup would be the next best choice. If you have to use granulated sugar or honey as the substitute, consider increasing the spices in the recipe a bit to make up for the flavors that the molasses would have contributed.
      Reply
  18. Ragan says:
    September 11, 2018
    Ahh these are SO GOOD! Only 1 problem: it is NOT possible to leave them to cool for 5 minutes without devouring them
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      September 14, 2018
      Hi Ragan. We love them! And they make your house smell wonderful! So glad you like them!
      Reply
  19. Taylor says:
    December 24, 2018
    Okay these cookies are a ginger-lovers dream! I love gingersnaps but was looking to make something a little more chewy and sweet. These are perfect! Very simple and easy recipe for a college student with not a lot of fancy bakeware. I might have to make these every Christmas!
    Reply
  20. Tina says:
    March 7, 2019
    I need advice on how to keep my husband out of the cookie dough!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      March 18, 2019
      Ha Ha! It's yummy cookie dough!
      Reply
  21. Tasha says:
    December 24, 2019
    I found this recipe a few years ago and have since made these delicious cookies every Christmas for our Christmas Eve party! They are always a big hit!! 🥰 making them again today!!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      December 30, 2019
      Hi Tasha! We hope you have a very Merry Christmas. We are so thrilled you love the Soft and Chewy Ginger cookies from Six Sisters. They are one of our favorites. Have a Happy New Year and thanks so much for stopping by!
      Reply
  22. Lori Jankowski says:
    January 25, 2020
    I have been using a soft molasses recipe for years, but decided to step out of my comfort zone today and tried this recipe. I think the biggest difference is butter vs shortening and I love the difference butter makes to the cookie. You have converted me to use your recipe as my go-to ginger cookie! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 29, 2020
      Hi Lori. We are so glad you like them! Have a great week!
      Reply
  23. Ambre says:
    December 14, 2020
    Can I use a gluten free flour in this?
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      December 17, 2020
      Gluten free flour can be subbed for regular all purpose flour 1:1 ratio. So it should work just fine.
      Reply
  24. Chey505 says:
    December 26, 2020
    Seriously delicious! Christmas basket gifted and so glad I kept a couple dozen for home. Love the "chewy"; and so easy to make! :)

    5 stars

    Reply
  25. Mary Lou says:
    December 26, 2020
    I wanted to try these so bad. Made them Christmas Eve Day...... but dough too wet! It wasn't firm enough to even make a ball to roll in sugar. Anyone else experience this? I tried adding more flour twice. Still not firm enough. Ended up putting in glass baking dish and baked like a bread or brownie. Tasted GREAT; but I wanted chewy cookies.
    Reply
BuzzFeedElleGlamourHuffington PostParentingTaste of HomeToday Show