Grandma's Molasses Cookies

Why Make this Recipe

Grandma's molasses cookies are a classic! Most people make them during the holidays, the molasses and warm ginger spices always taste like Christmas. That said, these are a staple at our house, so don't be shocked if you see us making these in the middle of the summer.

These old-fashioned molasses cookies are so easy they don't even need a hand mixer! A good spatula and mixing bowl are really all you need here. These ginger cookies are made with oil, so they're on your arm to mix together.

My Grandma Nada (Dianna's mom) used to make these cookies all the time and the recipe is a classic amongst our family. My grandmother actually got the recipe from my Great-Aunt Skip, but they'll always be in my head as "Grandma's molasses cookies."

While I call these molasses cookies, you'll see them labeled as ginger crinkles, gingersnaps, ginger molasses cookies, or if you're in my family you may hear them called "ginger gringles." We're not really sure where the term "gringle" came from, we think it must have been an adaptation of "crinkle," but the name stuck.

Ingredient Notes

• Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil like, vegetable oil.
• Sugar. White, granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and is used to roll the cookie dough before baking.
• Eggs.
• Molasses. Use unsulfured molasses. You can use light, dark, or robust molasses.  Do not use blackstrap molasses.
• Vanilla.
• Flour. All-purpose flour is used here.
• Baking Soda.
• Salt.
• Ground Ginger. Ground ginger gives these that signature spiciness.

Different Kinds of Molasses Explained

Molasses is typically made by boiling down sugar cane or sugar beet juice. It is boiled down until a thick, dark syrup is left. You'll see different kinds of molasses at the store light, dark, and blackstrap molasses.

Light Molasses

Light molasses is the result of the first boiling process. It has a milder, sweeter flavor, with the highest sugar content of the three.

Grandma's Original Molasses, a common molasses on shelves at the grocery stores in the United States is an example of light molasses. Other names for light molasses are Barbados, first, mild, and sweet molasses. This is my preferred molasses for this recipe.

Dark Molasses

Dark molasses is the result of boiling the molasses a second time. The molasses is darker, thicker, slightly less sweet, with hints of bitterness. Dark molasses can typically be used interchangeably with light molasses, but do note the flavor difference. Dark molasses is usually preferred when making gingerbread.

Brer Rabbit's Full Flavor Molasses, another common brand in the US, is an example of dark molasses. You'll see dark molasses also called second, full, or robust.

Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap molasses is made by boiling the syrup down a third time. The color is the darkest of the three, is significantly less sweet, with a pronounced bitter flavor. Blackstrap molasses should not be used interchangeably with light or dark molasses.

How to Make this Recipe

1. Mix Wet Ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, silicone baking mats, or greasing it with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla, and sugar.
2. Add eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the molasses.

3. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
4. Combine. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until no flour streaks remain.

5. Scoop & Roll. Scoop out about 2 heaping tablespoons of dough and roll it in granulated sugar until fully coated.
6. Bake.  Place the dough balls on the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Let the Grandma's molasses cookie cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate For Christmas

Grandma's ginger molasses cookies are always a staple during the holidays, There's no need to do anything extra to them. However, if you want to make them feel a little fancier, try dipping them in white chocolate and adding a few holiday sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Expert Tips

• Grease Your Measuring Cup. Lightly grease your measuring cup with cooking spray or oil before pouring the molasses into it. The molasses will slip right out when you pour it into the mixing bowl so you don't have to scrape the measuring cup! You can use this tip for any sticky sweeteners like honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, etc.
• Don't Over Mix the Dough. If the dough is over mixed, gluten can start to develop, making your molasses cookies tough instead of tender.
• Preheat at least 15 minutes. To make sure the oven temperature is stable and actually at the temperature it says it is, I like to make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 15 minutes. Heat (+the acidity in the molasses) help activate the baking soda in these cookies, so make sure the oven is hot and ready to go before popping the cookie dough into bake.
• Make Them Gluten Free. If you need to make these gluten-free use a gluten-free baking flour that measure 1:1 for regular flour. I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
• Add Cinnamon. Cinnamon is the perfect companion to molasses and ground ginger. Try a different variation on this recipe by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon into the dough for a variety of warm spices.

How to Store This Recipe

Grandma's molasses cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They're best eaten within 3-5 days.

The baked cookies also freeze beautifully. Cool the cookies completely, then transfer to an airtight container, like a freezer gallon plastic bag. They can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw completely before eating.

More Cookies You'll Love