Sourdough Molasses Cookies Recipe (Chewy & Indulgent)
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Meet your new favorite winter bake — Sourdough Molasses Cookies. They’re everything you want in a Christmas cookie: warm, cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg; rich dark brown sugar and molasses; and that perfect contrast of crispy edges and a soft, chewy center. Roll them in sugar just before baking and they emerge with those beautiful sparkly, crackled tops that make them impossible to resist.
If you’ve loved my Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies for decorating or my soft and buttery Sourdough Sugar Cookies for gifting, these molasses cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie tray. They bring all the nostalgic flavor of classic Christmas baking — with the same sourdough twist you already know and love. ✨
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Simple and Easy to Make
The wet ingredients mix quickly in one bowl, and the dry ingredients fold in easily. It’s not strictly a one-bowl recipe, but it’s pretty close. Scooping the dough into uniform portions is simple and chilling the dough requires no extra effort.
This recipe is straightforward enough for a busy weekday or a relaxed weekend treat. If you like easy Sourdough Discard Cookies, Sourdough Sugar Cookies, Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, or Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies are other simple options.
Soft, Chewy Texture with Cracked Tops
These cookies are tender in the center with lightly crisp edges. The cracked tops form naturally during baking, giving them a rustic, homemade look. They have a deep golden brown color with darker lines along the cracks, making them look warm and inviting.
Warm, Spiced Flavor
Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg fill the kitchen with a cozy, winter-baking smell. The molasses adds a rich sweetness that balances the spices. Each bite is comforting and familiar, with flavors that are noticeable but never overpowering. If you enjoy these sourdough molasses cookies, you might also like these Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies for a similar spiced flavor. I have a bunch of other easy sourdough cookie recipes if you’d like to try some.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you’re not using a kitchen scale, make sure to fluff the flour first, then scoop it into your measuring cup. These cookies are meant to bake up flatter and chewy, and adding too much flour will make them thicker and cakier instead.
- Baking Soda – Gives just enough lift to these cookies. Be sure to check the expiration date and replace your leaveners every 6 months, otherwise the cookies won’t rise properly.
- Sugars– I used a combination of dark brown sugar and white sugar for these cookies for a richer flavor, however, you substitute with light brown sugar.
- Molasses– This recipe uses unsulphured or dark molasses, not blackstrap molasses. The molasses gives the cookies their deep color, adds that warm, old-school flavor, and keeps the centers soft and chewy.
- Warm Spices– A mix of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg creates that cozy, winter-baking flavor.
- Sourdough Discard: For sweeter recipes like this, I prefer using fresh sourdough starter discard that’s no more than two days old. You can use an active starter as well. Whether you’re using discard or an active sourdough starter, keep the weight the same in grams.
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives these cookies a tender, rich texture. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Egg: One large egg binds the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of warm sweetness that complements the spices.
How to Make Sourdough Molasses Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with sugar until smooth, about 3–4 minutes on medium speed.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, molasses, and sourdough discard until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and spices. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days for longer fermentation.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon (35 grams) of dough per cookie, roll into smooth balls, then generously roll them in sugar. Place 6 cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in batches, keeping the remaining dough chilled in the fridge between batches.
- Place 6 cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in batches, keeping the remaining dough chilled in the fridge between batches.
- Bake at 350 °F for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges are just crisp and the center remains soft. The cookies will naturally develop beautiful cracked tops. Do not overbake.
- Let the chewy sourdough cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
How to Store:
These sourdough molasses cookies stay soft for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container. If you stack them, add parchment between the layers so they don’t stick. A slice of bread in the container adds a little moisture and keeps them chewy.
Unbaked cookie dough keeps in the fridge for up to 48 hours. You can also freeze the dough by scooping it into balls, freezing them on a tray, and moving them to a freezer bag. Bake them straight from the freezer and add a couple extra minutes. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQs
For sweeter cookies, fresh discard no older than two days works best. Older discard may change the flavor and slightly affect the dough texture.
I haven’t tested this yet, but a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend may work. Texture and spread could be different from the original recipe.
Chill for at least two hours to help the cookies hold their shape and develop flavor. You can also chill the dough for up to three days, which gives the cookies a slightly tangier flavor.
Sourdough Molasses Cookies
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Ingredients
- 255 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups + 1 Tablespoon
- 12 grams baking soda 2 teaspoons
- 4 grams ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 gram ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 gram ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
- 3 grams fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 170 grams unsalted butter, softened 12 Tablespoons
- 110 grams dark brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 100 grams granulated sugar 1/2 cup
- 80 grams dark molasses 1/4 cup
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- 100 grams sourdough discard 1/3 cup
- 50 grams sugar *for rolling 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or a bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until creamy and smooth, about 2-4 minutes on medium speed.170 grams unsalted butter, softened, 110 grams dark brown sugar, 100 grams granulated sugar
- On medium speed, beat in the egg, vanilla, molasses and sourdough discard until fully incorporated.80 grams dark molasses, 1 large egg yolk, 8 grams vanilla extract, 100 grams sourdough discard
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and spices. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed. When there is just a few streaks of flour left, continue to fold the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.255 grams all-purpose flour, 12 grams baking soda, 4 grams ground cinnamon, 3 grams ground ginger, 1 gram ground cloves, 1 gram ground nutmeg, 3 grams fine sea salt
- Cover the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Or you can long-ferment the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough, about 35 grams each into (1 Tablespoon), and roll them into a smooth dough ball, then generously roll them into the sugar. Place 6 cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. You will have to bake the cookies in batches. Place the dough back into the fridge in between baking to keep the dough chilled.50 grams sugar *for rolling
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are just crisp and the center is still soft. Tap the cookies on the counter to help create the beautiful cracked finish. Do not overbake these cookies.BAKING TIP: To create a perfectly round cookie shape, use the backs of two spoons to shape the cookies. Make sure to do this immediately out of the oven while the cookies are still warm!
- Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you’re not using a kitchen scale, make sure to fluff the flour first, then scoop it into your measuring cup. These cookies are meant to bake up flatter and chewy, and adding too much flour will make them thicker and cakier instead.
- Baking Soda – Gives just enough lift to these cookies. Be sure to check the expiration date and replace your leaveners every 6 months, otherwise the cookies won’t rise properly.
- Sugars– I used a combination of dark brown sugar and white sugar for these cookies for a richer flavor, however, you substitute with light brown sugar.
- Molasses– This recipe uses unsulphured or dark molasses, not blackstrap molasses. The molasses gives the cookies their deep color, adds that warm, old-school flavor, and keeps the centers soft and chewy.
- Warm Spices– A mix of ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg creates that cozy, winter-baking flavor.
- Sourdough Discard: For sweeter recipes like this, I prefer using fresh sourdough starter discard that’s no more than two days old. You can use an active starter as well. Whether you’re using discard or an active sourdough starter, keep the weight the same in grams.
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives these cookies a tender, rich texture. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Egg: One large egg binds the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of warm sweetness that complements the spices.
Love how chewy these molasses cookies are – no cakey cookies here! The warm spices make this the perfect winter cookie.
Made these for my family and we ate them in almost one night!! Such good holiday cookies!
The best kind of compliment – thank you! So thrilled to hear it was a hit with the entire family. Thank you again for taking the time to share!
I use duck eggs instead of chicken eggs for this recipe. No other substitutions. I really liked the baking tip of dropping the cookie sheet to make the centers go flat. We made a slow motion video of that particular step. All in all these were delicious cookies & my wife says they would win first place in a cookie baking contest.
Oh my goodness—thank you so much for taking the time to share this! I love hearing that duck eggs worked well with no other substitutions, and that pan drop tip clearly did its job for those perfectly flat, chewy centers.
And tell your wife I’ll gladly accept that “first place cookie contest” honor! I’m so happy you both enjoyed them—comments like this truly make my day.
Turned out great even though I forgot the discard until after the dry ingredients.
I’m so glad they still turned out great! Thankfully sourdough discard is very forgiving, and adding it a little later usually won’t cause any issues as long as everything gets well incorporated. Thanks so much for sharing—and I’m happy you enjoyed the cookies!
Made these yesterday. They were quite gooey but after the refrigeration they were perfect for my cookie scoop. Only 6 cookies on a big cookie sheet? But followed the recipe religiously and definitely put only 6 as they would overlap. Was not expecting the smell when I opened the oven door. The best smell I ever experienced! Ohh! And they were so delicious! Even my Granddaughter was immediately a fan. Do make these! Worth the effort. Granddaughter iced some as I had doubled the recipe and made sandwich cookies using vanilla cream cheese icing! These are our new favourites! Thank you McKenna!
That makes me so happy to read—thank you so much for taking the time to share this!
I absolutely love that your granddaughter enjoyed them (and icing some into sandwich cookies with vanilla cream cheese frosting sounds incredible!). Thank you for trusting the process, doubling the recipe, and making them part of your family’s favorites. That truly means the world to me.
Omg my new favorite cookie. These are so delicious!!!
So thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing.