Lemon Ginger Molasses Cookies
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This recipe for Lemon Ginger Molasses Cookies makes a thin, soft, and chewy ginger molasses cookie. It gets even better when it's topped with lemon icing for a warm, cozy, and light cookie all wrapped up into one!
If you love gingerbread cookies as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like my classic Frosted Gingerbread Cookies, Gingerbread Florentines, or my Gingerbread Biscotti.
Table of Contents
If you like molasses cookies, you'll love this lighter take on these classic cookies. Incredibly soft and chewy with rich dark molasses flavor. I add a little hint of ginger and top these organic cookies with a creamy and tangy lemon cream cheese icing. These are a refreshing take on winter cookies!
What are molasses cookies?
Molasses cookies are any cookies mad with the addition of molasses and usually spices. They are a cookie made with both sugar and either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, they have molasses and spices, and they’re soft and chewy. Do you call them Ginger Molasses Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, or just Molasses Cookies? No matter what you call them, these cookies are all pretty similar in flavor profile, baking style, and texture.
This recipe for Lemon Ginger Molasses Cookies is a take on classic gingerbread! I'm obsessed with gingerbread, to say the least, and I think it should be a year round cookie and not only reserved for the holidays. These organic cookies are a little heavier on the ginger than my traditional Frosted Gingerbread Cookies. But, they are insanely good! That's what makes these Lemon Ginger Molasses Cookies so special. They have all the vibes of gingerbread, but a light and zesty icing that makes them delicious all year round!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Soft & Chewy: This recipe creates a soft and chewy molasses cookie that will just melt in your mouth!
Sweet & Spicy: I love the combination of sweet lemon icing with the slightly spicy cookie dough. This juxtaposition of flavors is a match made in heaven!
Rich Molasses Flavor: These have a rich molasses flavor because I use light brown sugar as well as molasses.
Ingredients
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter. You can use your favorite, just be sure it's softened. If you're using unsalted, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar.
- Dark Brown Sugar: I'm using my homemade dark brown sugar, but store bought also works. Don't substitute for light brown sugar here, as you want the richer flavor of the dark brown sugar for these molasses cookies.
- Molasses: I use organic blackstrap molasses.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills.
- Spices: I use organic ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in these organic cookies. These spices add so much flavor if you notice, you don't even need vanilla extract in this recipe!
- Baking Soda: I'm using baking soda because these organic cookies have an acid (brown sugar). Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Salt: Use a fine sea salt.
- Powdered Sugar: I use organic powdered sugar for the icing, be sure it's sifted.
- Cream Cheese: I use Organic Valley Cream Cheese to give the icing a little tang. Plus, it pairs so well with the lemon flavor!
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Organic heavy whipping cream gives the frosting a richness and creaminess that I love.
- Lemon Flavor: I use organic lemon flavor in the icing. Using a concentrated flavor like this allows you to use just a small amount that results in big flavor.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but you can also use a hand mixer if you prefer.
- Baking Sheets: You'll need two half sheet pans to bake the cookies.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper for ease and I think cookies bake best with it.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and light brown sugar. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
Add the molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until combined. Add the eggs, flour, sea salt and baking soda in that order and mix on low until combined.
Step 3
Using your hands, form the dough into 24 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 1-inch apart.
Step 4
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and dry. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheets. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Step 5
To make the Icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and lemon flavor. Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
Using a butter knife, spread icing on top of each cookie.
How to Store
- Make sure you allow the cookies to cool completely before adding icing, frosting, or glaze on top. Icing is made up of powdered sugar and either butter, milk, water, or heavy cream; all of which can melt when added to a hot cookie. So it's important to make sure to allow cookies to cool completely before adding icing on top. If you are struggling with the waiting, then pop the tray in the freezer!
- Once cookies are frosted then make sure that they can set properly before stacking them. This is super important, as the icing has to set completely. Otherwise, if you stack these cookies in a cookie jar, Tupperware or even in a zip bag, they will just stick together completely. My trick for this is placing all the cookies on a baking sheet, and I put the entire baking sheet in the freezer and leave them there overnight. This allows the icing to set, and the cookies are in an airtight freezer so they won't dry out.
- If you can't fit your cookie sheet in the freezer, you can alternatively wrap the entire tray with plastic wrap. Foil will not work, as it's not airtight. Only plastic wrap will work, and make sure it is sealed very well!
- Once the cookies have set, then you can stack or package them. I still recommend putting a small piece of parchment paper in between each one so they can easily be removed one by one.
- Make sure to then store in an airtight container like a tupperware or zip bag in the fridge because of the cream cheese icing.
FAQ's
Yes, feel free to use a cookie scoop if you're more comfortable with that. Just be sure to get the right amount of cookies and the right size.
Yes, you can if you prefer!
Be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge because these have a cream cheese icing. But, look at the storage instructions above for more details as cookies with icing on top require much more attention!
Craving More?
Lemon Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
Dough
- 170 grams salted butter (softened)
- 113 grams cane sugar
- 113 grams light brown sugar (packed)
- 85 grams blackstrap Molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 340 grams all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Icing
- 284 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 28 grams salted butter (softened)
- 28 grams cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon lemon flavor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and light brown sugar. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until combined. Add the eggs, flour, sea salt and baking soda in that order and mix on low until combined.
- Using your hands, form the dough into 24 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 1-inch apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set and dry. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheets.
- To make the Icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and lemon flavor. Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Using a butter knife, spread icing on top of each cookie. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
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