Vegan Molasses Cookies

Vegan Molasses Cookies! This soft and chewy molasses ginger cookies are incredible and perfect for Christmas and cookie exchanges. 

this Recipe

When I asked you what kind of holiday cookie you wanted to see, a fair number of you requested a vegan molasses cookie. Well, you asked and I delivered.

Soft, chewy ginger molasses cookies. The perfect cookie for dunking in ice-cold (almond) milk or for eating one after another right off the cooling rack. Like we did this weekend– I cannot resist chewy molasses cookies and I’m so glad that these are now part of our Christmas cookie repertoire.

As with most of my cookie recipes, these are adapted from my mom’s endless baking catalog. I swear, I can call her and ask for any cookie or cake recipe and she’s got one; written down in either her or my grandmother’s handwriting on a 3×5 notecard.

I know many of you like vegan baked goods, and swapping in dairy-free butter for regular was a simple swap. Other than that, the original recipe is pretty much the same though I did decrease the amount of sugar called for and increased both the cinnamon and ginger.

A warning that these vegan molasses cookies are for serious ginger lovers only. I suppose you could decrease the amount, but I think the rich molasses needs punchy ginger for balance.

How to make Vegan Molasses Cookies

These ginger molasses cookies couldn’t be easier. Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and a pinch of salt. 

Melt dairy-free butter and stir in dark brown sugar, molasses and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour and mix until thick. The dough will be similar to a pie crust, thick and scoop-able. For additional texture and sweetness, roll the cookie balls into sugar before flattening and baking. 

You can sub in a lighter molasses, if you wish. I use a blackstrap molasses, though I really like the taste of molasses. A dark molasses will still give a rich molasses flavor, without the slight bitterness of blackstrap. If you use a lighter molasses, note that your cookies will be lighter in color. 

How to keep these molasses cookies soft

The combination of dark brown sugar and molasses is what keeps these cookies soft and chewy. Brown sugar is hygroscopic, which means it attracts moisture, keeping these cookies chewier than those made with regular granulated sugar. 

If you sub in other sugars, like coconut sugar, then your molasses cookies won’t be as soft. The vegan butter also keeps these cookies chewy, and using other fats, like coconut oil, will create mixed results. 

After cooled, store in an air-tight container. I usually add in a half slice of regular bread to keep these cookies soft for longer. The cookies continue to absorb moisture from the bread, which extends their shelf life! 

These molasses cookies are perfect for gifting! If you’re looking for more gift-worthy treats, check out my favorite recipes below. 

More vegan cookie recipes:

• Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Hope you love these Vegan Molasses Cookies as much as we do! If you make them, make sure to come back to rate and leave a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.  

Vegan Molasses Cookies

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: ~24 cookies
• Category: dessert, cookies
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Description

Vegan Molasses Cookies! This soft and chewy molasses ginger cookies are incredible and perfect for Christmas and cookie exchanges.

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• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: ~24 cookies
• Category: dessert, cookies
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: ~24 cookies
• Category: dessert, cookies
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted Earth Balance baking sticks)
• 2/3 cup vegan butter, melted (I use Earth Balance for dairy-free version)
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark or blackstrap molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• raw or granulated sugar, for rolling

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Instructions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla until well combined.
3. Stir in the flour mixture, stirring to combine. The mixture will be really thick, like a pie dough, but keep stirring until all the flour is incorporated.
4. Remove the dough and pack into a ball, then wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows the dough to rest and the flour to absorb the molasses.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Place sugar in a shallow plate or bowl.
6. Roll dough into 2 tablespoon balls (I use this cookie scoop for easy measuring) then roll into the sugar. Flatten the cookie slightly and place on the prepared baking sheets. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the chilled dough come to room temperature — if the dough is too cold, it won’t give you crackly cookie tops!
7. Bake for 9 minutes, taking care not to over bake. The edges should be set and the middle still slightly soft as they will continue to harden as they sit.

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