These Chewy & Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies are soft, buttery, and flavoured with a unique blend of spices including ginger, chipotle, and black pepper.
There's just something about baking cozy and comforting ginger cookies as soon as the first chill is felt in the air in September. I especially love baking multiple batches of these buttery and spicy cookies at Christmas time! Along with my Apricot Thumbprint Cookies, these ginger cookies are always well-loved on my cookie platters each Christmas.
These cookies hold a special place in my heart. I have made them every year for so many years already. I've made them for my family, friends, church, neighbors, and coworkers. I even mailed a box of these cookies to a friend at college in California once. A true comfort recipe that holds so many memories.
Just like my Chewy & Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, this recipe calls for chipotle pepper to add a spicy, smokey flavour that is just irresistible! I also add ground black pepper to these cookies for a little more spice. But don't worry, they aren't too spicy, just a nice little kick!
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⭐️ Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Perfect chewy interior. Underbake slightly for an even chewier, soft texture.
- Spicy ginger flavour. Ground ginger, black pepper, and chipotle pepper give these cookies amazing flavour and a kick of spice!
- A great addition to holiday cookie plates. They are always a hit!
🧈 Ingredients
- Softened Salted Butter - See my note under "substitutions" later in the post for instructions on using unsalted butter instead.
- White Sugar - You will need white sugar in the cookie dough plus some extra sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking.
- Egg - Gives structure and the egg yolk adds to the chewiness of the cookies.
- Molasses - I use light molasses (also called fancy molasses). Read more about different molasses types in this article.
- Flour - Just regular all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda - A key element in soft and chewy cookies.
- Spices - A combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, black pepper, and chipotle pepper make a spicy and flavourful ginger cookie!
See the recipe card for measurements.
📃 Instructions
Step 1: Cream together the softened butter and sugar.
Step 2: Add the egg and molasses.
Step 3: Cream until fluffy.
Step 4: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of creamed wet ingredients.
Step 6: Mix on low speed just until completely incorporated.
Step 7: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the dough to firm up.
Step 8: Once chilled, form into cookie dough balls using around 1 tablespoon of dough for each one. Roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
Step 9: Roll each formed cookie dough ball in white sugar to coat.
Step 10: Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like to bake 8 at a time arranged like this.
Step 11: Bake for 8-11 minutes or until the tops begin to crack.
Hint: Bake for 7-9 minutes for a very soft cookie or 11-12 minutes for a more well-done cookie. Every oven is different, of course, so keep an eye on the first batch to achieve your desired level of doneness.
📝 Substitutions
Most of the ingredients in this recipe cannot be replaced but here are a few possible substitutes.
- Salted Butter - You may use unsalted butter instead, simply add ½ teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Chipotle Pepper - If you don't have chipotle pepper, you can use ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and ⅛ teaspoon of smoked paprika (not spicy) instead.
❄️ Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
These cookies also freeze super well! Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Take out a few hours before serving to thaw at room temperature.
❓FAQ
Molasses, eggs, and baking soda help achieve a soft and chewy texture in these cookies.
A combination of ground ginger, chipotle pepper, and black pepper make these ginger cookies spicy.
Gingerbread cookies are made of a firmer dough that uses more flour to be rolled out and cut into shapes. Ginger cookies are made of a softer dough, rolled into balls, coated in sugar, and baked in rounds which results in a chewier and more tasty cookie.
🍪 More Cookie Recipes
Looking for other yummy cookie recipes? Here are some of my favourites:
If you tried these Chewy & Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and write a little note telling me how it went in the comments below. Thank you!!
📖 Recipe
Chewy & Spicy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet(s)
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups & spoons
- electric mixer
- whisk
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter softened *
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup molasses I use light molasses (also called fancy molasses)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper **
- ⅓ cup white sugar to roll cookies in before baking
Instructions
- Add the butter and 1 cup of white sugar to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed for 30 seconds. Add the egg and molasses and continue beating on high speed until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices to combine. Add to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each ball in the extra white sugar to coat. Arrange 8 cookie dough balls on each pan, leaving room for the cookies to spread.
- Bake one pan at a time in the preheated oven for 8-11 minutes or until the tops just begin to crack. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Bake the remaining cookies. Enjoy!
Larissa
I made these as part of my Christmas baking this year and they were fantastic! I omitted some spice because I’m a wimp, but the texture was perfectly soft and chewy. Sometimes I treated myself and spread some cream cheese icing on them I had leftover from something else. Delicious!
Naomi Andres
This sounds like such an amazing idea, I think you would also love my gingerbread cookie bars with cream cheese frosting! Thank you for the lovely review, Larissa!
Naomi
Naomi Tarves
Made these last night with my little sister...the cookies came out so soft and perfect😍🙌
Naomi
That is so great, thank you for reviewing this recipe!
Naomi
Mary Shearouse
I took a risk and made a double batch--we have lots of cookie-loving mouths here! I'm glad we did! These cookies are amazing!
Naomi
Oh, that's what I love to hear!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Naomi
Cindy Johnson
Just took the first batch out of the oven . . . yum!😊 I didn’t have chipotle pepper, so I substituted smoked paprika and cayenne (per an internet recommendation). They taste great, Naomi!
Naomi
Great substitution! Thank you for sharing a review!!
Naomi