Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/22/21
Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 62 servings
Yield: 62 cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
109 Calories
4g Fat
17g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 62
Amount per serving
Calories 109
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 119mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 83mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These molasses cookies will remind you of grandma's soft, perfectly spiced cookies. These slightly chewy treats are full of warming spice and molasses flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 5 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup shortening, softened

  • 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3/4 cup molasses

  • 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger

  • 1 dash ground cloves, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Stir together the sour cream and baking soda to mix thoroughly.

    Stir together the sour cream and baking soda

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the sugars with butter and shortening.

    cream together the sugars with butter and shortening

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Beat in the eggs and molasses.

    Beat in the eggs and molasses with the butter mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Add spices, 5 1/4 cups of the flour, and the sour cream mixture, stirring until thoroughly mixed. If necessary, add extra flour.

    Add spices, flour, and the sour cream mixture to the molasses mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough for about 1 hour.

    cookie batter in a bowl covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats, or leave them ungreased.

    parchment paper lined baking sheets

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Knead a portion of the dough a bit to bring it to a good rolling temperature that won't crack as you shape it.

    cookie dough ball on a floured surface

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  9. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut about 1/4-inch thick with a cookie cutter, thinner if you'd like crisper cookies. Use round cutters or use shapes.

    molasses cookie dough pieces on a floured surface

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  10. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the cookies with some granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.

    molasses cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  11. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes.

    Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • For easy, non-stick rolling, lightly sprinkle the surface and the top of the cookie dough with flour. Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper over the cookie dough and roll out. Dip cookie cutters in flour between cuts.
  • If you don't have sour cream, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup and add enough heavy cream to make 1 cup. Let stand for a few minutes. Or whisk 3/4 cup of buttermilk with 1/3 cup of butter.
  • To keep cookies uniform in thickness, consider a special rolling pin with adjustable thickness rings, or silicone strips that lay on either side of the dough.