Chewy Ginger Cookies

PIn it

Introduction

These chewy ginger cookies rely on molasses for depth and a careful bake time to keep the centers soft while the edges set and crack. The dough comes together quickly in a stand mixer, and the 11-minute bake window is tight but manageable once you know what to look for: cracks on top with just-underdone dough visible underneath.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 11 minutes
• Total Time: 26 minutes
• Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 180 g (¾ cup) butter, softened
• 500 g (2 cups) brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 60 ml (¼ cup) molasses
• 10 g (2 tsp) baking soda
• 600 g (2½ cups) flour
• 2.5 g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
• 5 g (1 tsp) ground ginger
• 5 g (1 tsp) ground cloves
• 2.5 g (½ tsp) salt
• Extra sugar for coating

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F or Gas Mark 4).
2. Cream the butter and the sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk.
3. Beat in the egg, and stir in the molasses.
4. Combine the baking soda, flour, spices, and salt in a separate bowl.
5. Gently mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture to make a dough.
6. Shape into small (2.5 cm/1 inch diameter) balls and roll in granulated sugar.
7. Place on greased cookie sheet. Do not flatten balls. They will spread out a little bit during baking, so space them about 1.5-2 inches apart.
8. Bake for about 11 minutes. One way to tell they are done is when the cookies are cracked but the dough inside the cracks doesn’t look quite finished. Beyond that they will be too done.
9. Remove pan from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Variations

Deeper spice profile: Double the ground cloves and add 2.5 g (½ tsp) of ground nutmeg or allspice. This shifts the flavor toward warming spice rather than ginger-forward.

Chewy interior, crisp edge: Bake for 9 minutes instead of 11. The centers will stay softer and stickier, though the cookies will be more fragile while still warm.

Extra molasses intensity: Replace 250 g of the brown sugar with an additional 60 ml (¼ cup) molasses. This deepens the color and adds slight bitterness; reduce the baking soda to 7.5 g (1½ tsp) to balance the extra liquid.

Chocolate-studded version: Fold 150 g of chocolate chips into the dough after mixing the dry and wet ingredients. Bake for the same 11 minutes.

Rolled in spice sugar: Mix 30 g (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar with 2.5 g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon and 2.5 g (½ tsp) ground ginger, then roll the dough balls in this blend instead of plain sugar for a spiced exterior.

Tips for Success

Watch the oven window at the 10-minute mark: The cookies peak within a narrow window. Start checking at 10 minutes, and look for visible cracks on the surface with slightly soft, shiny dough in the crevices—not smooth, set tops.

Don’t skip the sugar coating: Rolling the balls in granulated sugar before baking creates the distinctive crackled surface and adds texture contrast to the chewy interior.

Space them properly: These spread slightly, so 1.5 to 2 inches between balls prevents them from merging. If your sheet is small, bake in batches rather than crowding.

Cool on the pan, not immediately to a rack: Leaving the baked cookies on the greased sheet for a few minutes after removing from the oven allows them to firm up enough to transfer without breaking. They’ll continue to set as they come to room temperature.

Storage and Reheating

FAQ

Why did my cookies spread too thin or merge together?

The oven was too hot or the dough balls were placed too close. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer (many run 10–15°C off), and ensure you’re spacing balls 1.5–2 inches apart. Chilling the shaped dough for 15 minutes before baking also helps them hold their shape longer.

Can I make this dough ahead?

Yes. Shape the dough balls, coat them in sugar, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze uncovered for 30 minutes until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

My cookies came out too hard instead of chewy. What went wrong?

You likely baked past the 11-minute window. Pull them out the moment you see cracks with slightly underdone dough showing inside. They’ll firm up as they cool, but overbaking is difficult to reverse. For your next batch, start checking at 10 minutes.

Can I substitute molasses with honey or another sweetener?

Molasses brings a specific dark, bitter flavor that honey cannot replicate. If you must substitute, use dark honey or reduce it by 15 ml (1 tablespoon) to compensate for extra liquid, but the cookies will taste noticeably different.