Chewy Molasses Cookies

Soft and chewy cookies made with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, sweetened with molasses and brown sugar. These cookies have a crackly sugar coating and a perfectly chewy center.

24 servings
35 min

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoons ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup molasses
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sanding sugar

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 375°F. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk egg, butter, granulated sugar, molasses, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Mix in dry ingredients just to combine.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls (if dough is sticky, chill 20 minutes). Roll in sugar and place on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2" apart.

    15 min

  3. 3.

    Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed, cracked, and just set around edges (over-baked cookies won't be chewy), 8-10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

    10 min

  4. 4.

    MAKE AHEAD: Cookie dough can be made and rolled into balls 2 weeks ahead. Freeze on a baking sheet; transfer to resealable plastic bags. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before rolling in sugar.