These incredibly satisfying chewy spice cookies encapsulate all the rich, aromatic flavors of traditional soft gingerbread cookies, yet they require significantly less effort. Forget about tedious rolling and intricate cutting; this recipe streamlines the process, allowing you to enjoy the magic of holiday baking without the added stress. While these cookies are delicious right after a minimum one-hour chill, our extensive testing revealed that allowing the dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator truly elevates their flavor and texture to an unparalleled level, allowing the spices to meld beautifully for a more complex and robust taste.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect treat to contribute to your next Christmas cookie exchange, or searching for a heartfelt homemade gift, these easy spice cookies are an absolute winner. They pair beautifully with other festive favorites such as our irresistible chocolate chip shortbread cookies, vibrant Christmas crinkle cookies, or decadent fudgy brownies. For even more holiday baking inspiration, be sure to explore our delightful amaretti cookies or browse through our collection of easy Christmas cookie recipes to fill your holiday season with warmth and delicious aromas.

Table of Contents

• Why You Will Love these Spice Cookies
• Professional Tips for Making Spice Cookies
• Ingredients Needed for Authentic Flavor
• Variations or Substitutions for Your Spice Cookies
• How to Make Easy Spice Cookies: Step-by-Step Guide
• Chef Lindsey’s Expert Recipe Tip
• Frequently Asked Questions About Spice Cookies
• Spice Cookies Recipe Card
• Before You Go: More Holiday Cookie Inspiration

Professional Tips for Making Your Best Spice Cookies Yet

Achieving bakery-quality spice cookies at home is easier than you think with these expert tips:

• Roll the Cookie Dough in Sanding Sugar for a Festive Touch: This step, while optional, truly elevates the presentation and texture of your spice cookies. Rolling the dough balls in a generous coating of sanding sugar or turbinado sugar before baking creates a beautiful, sparkling finish that catches the light, making them even more inviting. Beyond the visual appeal, this sugar coating adds an extra layer of delightful crunch to the exterior, perfectly complementing the chewy interior.
• Opt for Traditional Dark Molasses for Balanced Flavor: The type of molasses you use significantly impacts the final taste of your cookies. During our testing, we conducted a direct comparison between traditional dark molasses and blackstrap molasses. While blackstrap molasses offers a very robust, almost intense flavor that some might enjoy, it can easily overpower the delicate balance of spices in this recipe. For a harmonious and well-rounded flavor profile, we highly recommend using traditional molasses, such as “Grandma’s Molasses.” This type of molasses contributes a deep, rich sweetness and signature warmth without being overly assertive, allowing the complex spice blend to truly shine.
• Trust the Spice Blend – It’s Delightfully Balanced: Don’t be surprised by some of the ingredients in this spice mix, particularly the hint of black pepper. While a touch of black pepper might seem unconventional in a sweet cookie, it’s a secret ingredient that adds a subtle heat and a layer of sophisticated complexity, making these cookies truly unique and memorable. Every spice has been carefully chosen and proportioned to create a wonderfully balanced and utterly delightful flavor. These cookies are absolutely perfect when enjoyed with a warm cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa, making them an ideal treat for cozy moments.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Spice Cookie Flavor

Crafting these irresistible spice cookies requires a selection of high-quality ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving the perfect flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:

• Butter: We always opt for unsalted butter in our baking recipes. This allows you to have precise control over the overall saltiness and flavor profile of your cookies. Ensure your butter is at room temperature before you begin, as softened butter creams more effectively with sugar, creating a light and airy dough.
• Granulated Sugar: Essential for structure and sweetness, granulated sugar plays a vital role in aerating the butter during the creaming process. It creates tiny pockets of air between the sugar crystals and butter molecules, which contributes to the cookies’ lighter texture and helps them spread beautifully.
• Dark Brown Sugar: The addition of dark brown sugar is key to the chewy texture and deep flavor of these spice cookies. Its molasses content adds significant moisture to the dough, helping the cookies remain wonderfully soft and tender long after baking. It also introduces another layer of rich, complex molasses flavor, complementing the primary molasses in the recipe.
• Egg Yolk: Using only an egg yolk instead of a whole egg is a deliberate choice for superior texture. The yolk provides rich fat content without the extra moisture from an egg white. This added fat contributes significantly to the cookies’ chewiness and helps to inhibit excessive gluten development, resulting in a more tender crumb.
• Molasses: For the signature deep flavor of these spice cookies, we highly recommend Grandma’s Molasses (unsulphered). This type of molasses offers a smooth, yet robust flavor that perfectly balances with the aromatic spices, ensuring it doesn’t overpower them. It’s the same reliable molasses we use in our beloved old-fashioned gingersnap recipe for consistent, delicious results.
• Vanilla Extract: A baking staple, vanilla extract enhances and rounds out all the other flavors in the cookie dough, adding a subtle warmth and sweetness.
• All-purpose Flour: Standard all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure for these cookies. Precision in measuring is crucial, as too much flour can lead to dense, dry cookies that don’t spread properly.
• Kosher Salt: We prefer kosher salt in all our baking. It has larger crystals and is less salty by volume compared to fine table salt, allowing for better control over seasoning and enhancing the overall flavor without making the cookies taste overly salty.
• Baking Soda: This recipe utilizes baking soda as a leavening agent. It reacts powerfully with the acidity present in the molasses, creating carbon dioxide gas. This reaction causes the cookies to puff up beautifully in the oven, then gently fall flat as they bake to perfection, resulting in that desirable soft, chewy texture.
• Ground Ginger: As one of the prominent flavors, fresh, high-quality ground ginger is essential. Ensure your ginger is not stale to guarantee the most impactful and vibrant flavor in your spice cookies.
• Ground Cinnamon: While any good quality ground cinnamon will work beautifully, we particularly love Saigon cinnamon for its bold and warm notes, as we do in our cinnamon sugar cookies. It adds a comforting, aromatic sweetness.
• Ground Cloves: Often underestimated, ground cloves are far from an unimportant addition. They are crucial for rounding out the entire spice profile, adding a deep, pungent warmth. Without them, the cookies might taste somewhat flat and incomplete, lacking that signature complex spice cookie character.
• Ground Allspice: Ground allspice contributes a warm, complex flavor that hints at cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, tying the entire spice blend together beautifully without overpowering individual notes.
• Ground Black Pepper: A surprising but essential ingredient, ground black pepper adds a subtle, intriguing warmth and a touch of heat, elevating the overall flavor of this spiced cookie dough. It’s a secret ingredient that truly makes these cookies stand out.
• Turbinado Sugar: For an extra special touch, rolling the cookie dough in turbinado sugar before baking is highly recommended. This coarse sugar adds a delightful crunch to the exterior and a beautiful, sparkling finish. If you prefer, you can also dust the cooled cookies with powdered sugar or add a simple glaze instead.

For precise measurements and full detailed instructions, please refer to the complete recipe card provided below.

Customizing Your Spice Cookies: Variations & Substitutions

While this recipe is carefully crafted for optimal flavor, don’t hesitate to personalize it with these suggested variations and substitutions to suit your taste or available ingredients:

• Experiment with Different Spices: We encourage you to try the carefully balanced spice blend exactly as written first to experience its unique profile. However, if you’re feeling adventurous or want to tailor the flavors to a specific season, you can certainly experiment! Consider adding a pinch of nutmeg for extra warmth, or for a delightful autumnal twist, incorporate a pumpkin spice mix. During the colder months, our homemade speculoos spice mix would also be a fantastic addition, lending a distinct European flair.
• Molasses Choices: As mentioned in our professional tips, we strongly advise against using blackstrap molasses in this recipe unless you specifically desire a significantly stronger, more bitter molasses flavor that will likely dominate the other delicate spices. Traditional dark molasses provides the best balance.
• Brown Sugar Alternatives: If you don’t have dark brown sugar on hand, you can successfully substitute light brown sugar. While it will provide slightly less deep molasses flavor and moisture, the cookies will still be delicious. Alternatively, for a slightly crisper cookie, you could even use all granulated sugar. The recipe already contains a generous amount of liquid molasses, which will ensure plenty of flavor and help keep the dough pliable and the cookies tender.

How to Make Easy Chewy Spice Cookies: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these detailed instructions to create the most incredible, perfectly textured spice cookies. More precise measurements and full details are available in the comprehensive recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients and Oven. Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper; this prevents sticking and ensures even baking. In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly whisk together your all-purpose flour, all the ground spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, black pepper), kosher salt, and baking soda. Whisking ensures that all the leavening and spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour, preventing pockets of unmixed ingredients in your final cookies. Set this dry mixture aside.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer, cream these ingredients together on medium speed. Continue mixing for approximately 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes visibly light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air, which is crucial for the cookies’ texture and rise.

Step 3: Incorporate Wet Ingredients. Add the single egg yolk and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed until these ingredients are fully combined and smoothly incorporated. Next, pour in the molasses and continue to beat until it is completely blended into the mixture, ensuring no streaks remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures. With your mixer set to low speed, gradually add the reserved flour and spice mixture to the wet ingredients. Add it a large spoonful at a time, allowing each addition to just combine before adding the next. Mix only until the flour streaks disappear and a cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as overdeveloping the gluten can result in tough cookies.

Step 5: Roll and Prepare for Baking. Once your dough is sufficiently chilled, preheat the oven again to 375°F (190°C). Scoop out approximately 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Roll these portions into smooth, uniform balls between your palms. Gently roll each dough ball in turbinado sugar until fully coated. This step is optional but highly recommended for an added crunch and a beautiful, sparkling finish. Place the sugared dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading. A note of caution: when it comes to these cookies, a medium size is best. Larger cookies tend not to crack as beautifully and may spread out excessively, resulting in an less appealing appearance. You can also roll the dough into balls before refrigerating if that is more convenient for you.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection. Bake the cookies in your preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 11 minutes. The key indicators for doneness are when the tops of the cookies have developed lovely cracks, and the centers appear matte but still feel visibly soft to the touch when gently pressed. It is crucial not to overbake them! They will continue to crisp up as they cool on the baking sheet and then on a wire rack. Removing them when the centers are still slightly soft ensures that signature chewy interior.

Frequently Asked Questions About These Spice Cookies

If you tried this recipe and absolutely loved it, please take a moment to leave a 🌟 star rating and share your experience in the comments section below. I adore hearing from you; your feedback and comments truly brighten my day!

5 from 1 ratings

Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

by
Chef Lindsey

These easy spice cookies are chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. They have the flavor of gingerbread but with the texture of a chewy sugar cookie. Perfect for the holidays!

Prep:

18 minutes
mins

Cook:

8 minutes
mins

Chill Time:

1 hour
hr

Total:

1 hour
hr
26 minutes
mins

Servings:

36
Cookies

Save
Saved
Pin Recipe
Comment
Print Recipe

Ingredients 

 

• ▢
  
  ⅓ cup granulated sugar

• ▢
  
  ⅓ cup dark brown sugar packed

• ▢
  
  ½ cup unsalted butter softened

• ▢
  
  2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ▢
  
  2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon

• ▢
  
  2 teaspoons ginger

• ▢
  
  ½ teaspoon cloves

• ▢
  
  ⅛ teaspoon allspice

• ▢
  
  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ▢
  
  ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• ▢
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda

• ▢
  
  1 egg yolk

• ▢
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ▢
  
  ½ cup molasses

• ▢
  
  Turbinado sugar for coating the outsides ~1/3 cup

Instructions 

• Pre-heat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Cream softened butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl using your stand mixer or an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
• Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined. Continue to beat in the molasses until completely incorporated and smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, until just combined. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain to avoid overworking the dough.
• Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. For the best flavor and texture, allow the dough to rest for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Roll approximately 2 tablespoons of dough into uniform balls. Gently roll each ball in turbinado sugar to coat. Place the sugared dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, ensuring they are 2 inches apart. Avoid making them too large, as bigger cookies may not crack as nicely and can spread out excessively.
• Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8-11 minutes, or until the tops crack and the centers still look slightly underbaked and soft. Resist the temptation to leave them in the oven until the centers set, unless you desire crisp gingersnaps instead of chewy cookies.

Notes

Yield – Approximately 36 delicious spice cookies.

Presentation – Rolling the cookie dough in turbinado or sanding sugar is an optional step, but it adds a beautiful sparkle and a delightful textural crunch to the finished cookies.

Flavor Tips – While chilling the dough is optional for the cookie’s structure, allowing it to chill overnight significantly enhances the depth and complexity of the spice flavors as they meld together.

Storage – Store your baked spice cookies in a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For peak freshness and chewiness, consume them within 5 days.

This recipe has been thoughtfully adapted from a classic by America’s Test Kitchen.

Nutrition

Calories:
82
kcal

|

Carbohydrates:
13
g

|

Protein:
1
g

|

Fat:
3
g

|

Saturated Fat:
2
g

|

Polyunsaturated Fat:
1
g

|

Monounsaturated Fat:
1
g

|

Trans Fat:
1
g

|

Cholesterol:
12
mg

|

Sodium:
50
mg

|

Potassium:
82
mg

|

Fiber:
1
g

|

Sugar:
7
g

|

Vitamin A:
86
IU

|

Vitamin C:
1
mg

|

Calcium:
15
mg

|

Iron:
1
mg

Course:
Dessert

Cuisine:
American

Calories:
82

Like this? Leave a comment below!