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Molasses Cut Out Cookies

These easy and tasty molasses cut out cookies are perfect for the holidays as a party treat, a food gift, or simply to enjoy with a mug of hot chocolate.

They’re filled with classic gingerbread flavors and cut into your favorite shapes.

An overhead shot of molasses cut out cookies.

How to make molasses cut out cookies

  • Flour: Any all-purpose flour.
  • Spices: Specifically cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
  • Baking soda: To make them puff up a little.
  • Butter: Softened, to be precise.
  • Brown sugar and molasses: For that classic gingerbread cookie sweetness.
  • Powdered sugar: For dusting.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses, milk.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix together until combined and a dough ball has formed.
  5. Dust a few tablespoons of flour on a large cutting board. Place dough on the cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll it out flat to about ¼ inch thickness.
  6. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter and cut out about 24 cookies. Place them on the parchment paper, about ½ an inch apart. Bake 8-9 minutes, until set but soft.
  7. Let cookies cool, then dust with powdered sugar or decorate with white icing.
Overhead shot of gingerbread man cut-out from flat dough.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

  • For the flour: Use any all-purpose flour you have, such as whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white or regular all-purpose (or a mix of any of these).
  • For the spices: Adjust the level of cinnamon, ginger and cloves based on your preferences.
  • For the butter: Try with coconut oil.
  • For the brown sugar: Use dark or light brown sugar, or substitute with a brown sugar substitute such as Stevia or Swerve.

Nutrition Considerations

  • To make these gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour.
    • Be sure all ingredients you choose are gluten free.
  • To make these dairy free: Use a dairy free milk alternative, such as soy, almond, coconut, cashew, rice, pea or oat.
  • To make these vegan: Try with coconut oil, an egg substitute and use a plant-based milk alternative, such as soy, almond, coconut, cashew, rice, pea or oat (although I haven’t tested this).
  • To make these nut free: These do not contain nuts.
    • Be sure all ingredients are nut free.
  • To make these egg free: Try an egg replacer, such as Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or a flax ‘egg’ (although I haven’t tested this).
Side shot of a stack of finished Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

For more holiday dessert inspiration:

Print

Molasses Cut Out Cookies

These easy and tasty molasses cut out cookies are perfect for the holidays as a party treat, a food gift, or simply to enjoy with a mug of hot chocolate!

  • Author: Julie Andrews
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 24 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ tablespoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ½ cup softened butter
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 34 tablespoons milk
  • Flour, for dusting
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar and/or white icing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses, milk.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix together until combined and a dough ball has formed.
  5. Dust a few tablespoons of flour on a large cutting board. Place dough on the cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll it out flat to about ¼ inch thickness.
  6. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter and cut out about 24 cookies. Place them on the parchment paper, about ½ an inch apart. Bake 8-9 minutes, until set but soft.
  7. Let cookies cool, then dust with powdered sugar or decorate with white icing.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 135
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Sodium: 67mg
  • Fat: 4g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 1g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 23g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 18mg

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Overhead shot of three Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies decorated with white icing.