Molasses, brown sugar, & warm spices combine to make the perfect holiday cookie! These cookies are soft, chewy & drizzled with white chocolate- absolutely irresistible.
When I tell you that these are my favorite cookies of all time, I’m telling you, “THESE ARE MY FAVORITE COOKIES OF ALL TIME.” I don’t really know how else to get across via blog post just how much I adore these cookies other than to type it out in all caps. As if I’m emphatically announcing this truth from my keyboard. And I’m not just claiming that these are my favorite holiday cookies of all time (although they are), I’m claiming that these white chocolate ginger molasses cookies are my favorite of all the cookies ever.
Nothing says “Christmas” to me quite like these ginger molasses cookies. I’ve been making them since high school, so there is definitely an element of nostalgia that comes along with these. And I have to admit, I do get a little territorial when it comes to baking these cookies. I have rules. Not to be a grinch or a scrooge. My ginger molasses cookie rules are really implemented to protect the magical nature and sacredness of these cookies. Rule #1: you can only bake these within the bounds of the official Christmas season. I’m talking day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Day, folks. Rule #2: you must be listening to Christmas music while you bake these cookies. It makes them even more magical.
Don’t judge me for the rules. Just recognize that the rules provide boundaries to maintain the sacred nature of the ginger molasses cookies. You see, if you just bake these willy-nilly at any time of year, in any environment, then they lose a bit of their magic. Trust me.
Okay enough about my rules & more about the cookies. These ginger molasses cookies are perfection. Molasses, brown sugar, & warm spices combine to make a cookie that harnesses the very flavor of Christmas itself. So warm & so comforting. They’re chewy, soft, & rolled in sugar to give you that perfect exterior texture. Oh & they’re drizzled with white chocolate, so that’s just a bonus. The smoothness of the white chocolate really complements the warm spice in these cookies.
Have I convinced you to bake these yet? I’m already on batch number 178, 200.
Merry Christmas and happy baking, friends!
What you’ll need to bake these cookies:
Butter: For flavor, moisture, & helps cookies spread in the oven.
Brown sugar: Using all brown sugar in these cookies gives them a depth of flavor that complements the molasses & warm spices. It also makes the cookies extra chewy!
Egg: For structure & binding.
Vanilla: For added flavor.
Molasses: Molasses gives these cookies that unmistakable gingerbread cookie flavor! Be sure to use unsulphured molasses and not blackstrap molasses.
Flour: For structure.
Baking soda: For leavening.
Kosher salt: To balance out all the sweetness. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.
Ground cinnamon, ginger & cloves: A good dose of warm spices in these cookies amps up the holiday flavor. These spices work really well to complement the brown sugar & molasses!
Sugar: The cookies are rolled in sugar before baking to make them extra sweet & give a wonderful sugary exterior texture!
White chocolate chips & shortening for the white chocolate drizzle.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
What kind of molasses should I use? Be sure to use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses. The unsulphured molasses is typically what you’ll find in the grocery store on the baking aisle. It is sweeter & less bitter than blackstrap molasses.
Why chill the dough? Chilling the dough allows the flavors to deepen. Also, putting chilled dough in the oven keeps the cookies from spreading too much, ultimately giving you a thicker cookie.
Can I leave off the white chocolate drizzle? If white chocolate isn’t your thing, feel free to leave it off! These cookies are still 100% delicious without the white chocolate drizzle. You do you!
Can I freeze this cookie dough? Yes! This cookie dough freezes very well & is great to have stashed in the freezer for when you need cookies at a moment’s notice. Prepare the dough, chill in the fridge for 1 hour, scoop into dough balls, and roll in sugar, as directed in the recipe. Place cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper & pop in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until frozen solid. Store frozen dough in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just add on 1-2 minutes to your bake time.
A few notes before you bake:
If your white chocolate drizzle isn’t smoothing out as expected, it may be because it has been overheated in the microwave. Not to worry! If this happens, add more shortening, ½ tablespoon at a time, to the warm chocolate mixture & stir until smooth.
If you prefer not to use a microwave to melt the white chocolate, you can melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Just be sure that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl, otherwise you’ll scorch the chocolate.
PrintWhite Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour chill time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
- Yield: 15-18 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert, Snack
Description
Molasses, brown sugar, & warm spices combine to make the perfect holiday cookie! These cookies are soft, chewy & drizzled with white chocolate- absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 154 gm (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened*
- 240 gm (1 cup, firmly packed) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 gm (1/4 cup) unsulphured molasses
- 312 gm (2 1/2 cups, spoon & leveled) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 67 gm (1/3 cup) granulated sugar, for coating
For the white chocolate drizzle:
- 110 gm (1/2 cup) white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons shortening, plus more as needed
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter & brown sugar on medium speed until light & fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides & bottom of the bowl. Mix in egg until fully combined. Mix in vanilla extract & molasses.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 2-3 additions, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F & line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a #20 spring-loaded cookie scoop, scoop chilled dough and roll dough in granulated sugar until coated. Place dough balls onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing 2-3″ apart. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through bake time. Cookies are done when the edges are set and just slightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cookies have cooled completely, drizzle with white chocolate, if desired.
To make the white chocolate drizzle:
- Combine white chocolate chips & shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in two, 30-second intervals, followed by 10-second intervals, stirring vigorously in between each interval, until melted and smooth. NOTE: If the mixture isn’t smoothing out, stir in additional shortening to the warm chocolate mixture, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until smooth.
- Drizzle immediately over cooled cookies.
Notes
*Softened butter: The right consistency for softened butter is soft, but still firm. When you press your finger into the butter, it should leave an indentation, but shouldn’t be shiny or greasy. If you really want to get technical, use an instant read thermometer: your butter should be between 65-67°F.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Prepare the dough, chill in the fridge for 1 hour, scoop into dough balls, and roll in sugar, as directed in the recipe. Place cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper & pop in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until frozen solid. Store frozen dough in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just add on 1-2 minutes to your bake time.
Keywords: white chocolate, chocolate, ginger, molasses, cookie, cookies, dessert, snack, Christmas, holiday
