What To Expect From This Recipe

Before you dive into baking, here’s a quick overview of what you can anticipate from this delightful ginger molasses cookie recipe:

• Taste: Prepare your palate for a symphony of flavors! These chewy molasses ginger cookies feature a prominent, comforting blend of cinnamon and ginger, with the molasses contributing a subtle yet essential depth. The molasses, alongside the brown sugar, is key to developing that wonderfully soft, moist, and chewy texture that defines a perfect ginger cookie. You’ll notice hints of warmth from the other carefully selected spices, creating a truly irresistible flavor profile that is both classic and deeply satisfying.
• Ease: This is genuinely a simple cookie recipe, designed for stress-free baking. The dough comes together quickly with minimal effort. After mixing, you’ll roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar, which adds a beautiful sparkle and a slight crispness to the exterior during baking. The most crucial step is allowing the cookies to cool completely before you begin the exciting part: icing them. The snowflake pattern, while visually stunning, is entirely optional. If you’re short on time or prefer a quicker approach, a simple drizzle of the icing over the cooled cookies is equally delicious and charming.
• Time: Efficiency is a hallmark of this recipe. You’ll be able to whip up the molasses cookie dough in just 5-10 minutes – remember, NO chilling is required, saving you valuable time! Baking typically takes a quick 8-10 minutes, so keep a close eye on them. Once baked, allowing the cookies to cool sufficiently is important before icing. The icing process itself can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, depending on your speed and the intricacy of your designs. However, many find the decorating to be a relaxing and enjoyable part of the process, especially when creating those charming snowflakes.

1. Step 1: Cream the Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, combine the softened room temperature butter, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color, which usually takes about 2 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ light texture.

2. Step 2: Incorporate Egg and Flavorings. Next, add the large egg, pure vanilla extract, and a teaspoon of salt to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly for approximately 1 minute until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture appears fluffy and uniform. The egg adds structure and moisture, while vanilla and salt enhance the overall flavor profile.

3. Step 3: Add Spices and Molasses. Now, it’s time to bring in the signature flavors! Add all the ground spices – cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg – along with the rich molasses. Mix these ingredients into the wet mixture until the molasses is completely and evenly distributed throughout the dough. Ensure there are no streaks of molasses, as this guarantees a consistent flavor in every cookie.

4. Step 4: Incorporate Dry Ingredients. Finally, add the all-purpose flour and baking soda to the mixture. Mix on low speed just until there are no visible pockets of dry flour remaining, typically about 1 minute. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as overmixing can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tougher cookies. The dough should be soft and pliable.

5. Step 5: Portion and Sugar Coat. Once your dough is ready, scoop it into uniform balls. I highly recommend using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop for consistent sizing, which ensures even baking. Roll each dough ball generously in white granulated sugar, coating it completely (as shown in the above left image). This sugar coating adds a beautiful sparkle and a delightful textural contrast to the soft interior.
6. Step 6: Bake the Cookies. Arrange the sugar-coated cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between them for spreading. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes. For me, the sweet spot is exactly 9 minutes, yielding a perfectly chewy cookie with slightly crisp edges. The cookies will look slightly puffed and set around the edges but may still appear soft in the center.

7. Step 7: Prepare the Icing. In a medium bowl, or directly in a small zip-top bag if you’re using it for piping, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk or mix these ingredients thoroughly until you achieve a smooth, lump-free icing. The consistency should be pourable but thick enough to hold a shape. If using a zip-top bag, carefully snip a tiny hole in one corner (as seen in the above images); the smaller the hole, the finer your snowflake lines will be!

8. Step 8: Pipe the Snowflake Base. Once your cookies are completely cool, hold your piping bag (or zip-top bag) steadily and pipe an “X” shape directly onto the center of each cookie. Then, pipe a single straight line either sideways or vertically, crossing through the center of the “X”. This creates a beautiful 6-branch star, forming the essential foundation of your snowflake design (as shown in the above left image).
9. Step 9: Add Center Dots. For an extra touch of detail, add a tiny dot of icing in the center of every triangle created by your 6-branch star (as seen in the above right image). This simple addition gives your snowflakes more depth and intricacy.

10. Step 10: Complete the Snowflake Branches. To finalize your beautiful snowflake design, pipe a small “V” shape at the very end of each branch of the star, overlapping the branch slightly (as shown in the above left image). This creates the classic, delicate tips of a snowflake. Take your time and enjoy the creative process!
11. Step 11 – Optional “Snow” Effect: For an extra magical touch that truly makes your snowflakes sparkle, carefully dip the iced cookies into a shallow dish of granulated sugar BEFORE the icing fully dries. This gives the snowflakes a gorgeous, crystalline snow effect, making them look even more authentic. Be very gentle to avoid smashing the cookies or smudging your intricate icing design! (See above right image for the dipping process).

📌 Top Tips & Hacks for Best Results

Achieving bakery-quality ginger molasses cookies with that perfect chew and festive icing is easier than you think with these helpful tips and tricks:

• Adjusting Cookie Thickness for Icing: For thinner, flatter cookies that provide a larger, smoother surface ideal for more intricate snowflake piping, you can slightly reduce the amount of flour to about 3¼ cups. This allows the cookies to spread a bit more during baking. Conversely, if you prefer a thicker, puffier cookie, sticking to the recommended 3½ cups of flour will achieve that delightful, soft texture. Experiment to find your preferred canvas for decoration!
• Piping Tools for Precision: For quick and easy icing, a standard zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off works wonderfully. However, if you’re aiming for impeccably neat and detailed snowflakes, investing in a very small piping tip (like a Wilton #1 or #2) and a dedicated piping bag will give you much greater control and finer lines. Practice on parchment paper first to get a feel for the pressure and flow.
• Spice Blend Shortcut: Don’t have all the individual ground spices on hand? No problem! A fantastic shortcut is to use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend in place of the individual cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Pumpkin pie spice typically contains a very similar mix of warming spices, ensuring your cookies still have that classic, comforting holiday flavor profile. It’s a convenient hack that saves time without sacrificing taste.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together more effectively, incorporating air and creating a smoother, more uniform dough that results in a tender cookie.
• Don’t Overbake: Molasses cookies are best when slightly underbaked. They will continue to cook slightly on the hot baking sheet after coming out of the oven. Look for edges that are just set and a center that still looks a little soft. This guarantees that signature chewy texture.

Yes, you absolutely can refrigerate the cookie dough overnight if you need to prepare it in advance. However, be aware that chilled dough will be firmer and potentially a bit more difficult to scoop. Cookies made from chilled dough also tend to spread less during baking, which might result in slightly thicker cookies. While it works, I personally find it much easier and more convenient to make the dough, shape it into individual balls, and then flash freeze those dough balls if I’m preparing them ahead of time. This allows for quick, bake-from-frozen convenience later on.

Proper storage is key to keeping your iced molasses cookies fresh and delicious. Once the icing has completely hardened (which usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour), you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To prevent the icing from sticking or smudging, you can place a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies if stacking them. For longer storage, they can be frozen, either raw or baked, for up to 3 months.

Freezing the cookie dough is a brilliant way to have fresh, warm cookies whenever a craving strikes! To do this, follow the recipe instructions to make the cookie dough. Once the dough is prepared and rolled into balls, coat them generously in granulated sugar. Then, arrange the individual dough balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are not touching each other. Place this tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes to flash freeze them. This quick freeze prevents them from sticking together. After flash freezing, transfer the hardened dough balls to a freezer-safe airtight container or a large zip-top bag. They can be safely stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, ready to be baked at a moment’s notice.

Baking these delicious ginger molasses cookies straight from the freezer is incredibly convenient. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen, sugar-coated dough balls on a prepared cookie sheet (parchment paper or silicone mat recommended). You will need to increase the baking time slightly. Bake them at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden, and the centers are still soft and chewy. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes as oven temperatures can vary.

Did you try this recipe? If you loved these Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies with Snowflake Icing, please make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, as I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers looking for delicious new recipes. Thank you for baking with us!

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Iced Molasses Cookies