Gluten Free Soft Molasses Cookies

Gluten Free Soft Molasses Cookies - soft and chewy with hints of ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and ginger. They are perfect for Thanksgiving and of course, the holiday season but let's be honest - chewy molasses cookies are perfect all year round. Add these chewy ginger molasses cookies to your Christmas Cookie Platter or package them in cookie tins to share with loved ones as homemade gifts.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this recipe for Gluten Free Molasses Cookies with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob's Red Mill Measure for Measure, and my own gluten-free flour blend. While this recipe should work without any issues with any gluten-free flour blend you may have on hand, the cookies made with King Arthur stayed softer longer. Please make sure the blend does contain xanthan gum.

Cornstarch: The added cornstarch gives those molasses cookies their ultra-soft and tender crumb we all love. It also helps with the structure of the cookie.

Shortening: In this recipe, we are using a mix of butter and shortening. Shortening helps the cookies hold their shape and prevent spreading. Cookies baked with all butter will most likely spread more and be more on the crispier side. I highly recommend not skipping the shortening in this recipe. I use Crisco Vegetable Shortening.

Molasses: Molasses is the liquid that is left after white sugar is processed from sugar cane juice. It is a thick, dark syrup, high in minerals and lower in sugar than other syrups. It normally can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store. For the best flavor, I recommend using unsulphured light molasses such as Grandma's Molasses. Please be aware when using Blackstrap Molasses your cookies will have a slightly bitter flavor.

Spices: Spices used in this recipe are ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. While spices don't go bad like milk or become moldy like fresh produce, they will lose their "oomph" over time. So make sure to check their freshness from time to time.

How to make Gluten Free Molasses Cookie Dough

This easy recipe can be made in no time. Please make sure all your ingredients (butter, shortening, and egg) are at room temperature.

1. Sift together gluten-free multi purpose flour (containing xanthan gum), cornstarch, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl and set aside. Sifting dry ingredients together may seem like an extra step Chefs like to add to the recipe, but there is actually a reason behind the sifting. Not only does sifting dry ingredients ensure all ingredients are well blended, but it also helps lighten the flour mixture.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine room temperature shortening, unsalted butter (dairy-free works as well), and light or dark brown sugar, and mix at a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Around 4-5 minutes.
3. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Without scraping down the sides, fat/sugar builds up on the sides of the bowl. When you add the flour, that film of fat will create random streaks of fat in your dough. And we have all seen those ugly cookies where a pocket of fat makes them look sloppy. To avoid this, I recommend scraping your bowl once mid-creaming, after adding the egg, and after adding the flour. Every time, make sure to whip your dough for 10 seconds or so after.

4. Add the molasses, large egg, and pure vanilla extract and mix at medium-high speed for an additional minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Mix the dry ingredients at a low speed into the wet ingredients until a dough forms. Your dough will be very soft and wet. Do not add any additional flour no matter how tempted you are.
6. For the best results, transfer the dough to an airtight container and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. At this point, you can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to bake Gluten Free Soft Molasses Cookies

1. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
2. With a medium cookie scoop (around 1.5-2 tablespoons), portion out the cookie dough and roll it into balls. You should get around 16-18 cookie dough balls from this batch.
3. Add some granulated sugar to a small bowl.
4. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and divide your cookies between your sheet trays. If you used only shortening, gently press down the sugar-coated cookies before baking. This will help with spreading.
5. Bake them at 350°F, one tray at a time, for 10-12 minutes. They will be slightly underbaked in the center. This will give them a soft texture with chewy edges.
6. Remove the gluten-free ginger molasses cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Storage & Freezing

Store fully baked and cooled gluten free molasses cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you plan on having them around longer, I recommend freezing the baked cookies. To thaw them, place them in the fridge overnight or carefully defrost them in the microwave.

To freeze the unbaked cookie dough, scoop the dough, roll it into balls, and place the sheet tray in the freezer. Once fully frozen, transfer them to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes when ready to bake while the oven is preheating. Once the oven is fully preheated, roll them in granulated sugar and bake as directed. You may need to extend the baking time by 1-2 minutes.

Recipe Variations for Gluten Free Soft Molasses Cookies

Chocolate Molasses Cookies: Love chocolate? Add 100 grams of chocolate chips to the cookie dough. You could even dip half of them in dark chocolate.

Orange Molasses Cookies: Add the zest of one small orange to the cookie dough - this brings out the flavors of the spices used even more

Cardamon Molasses Cookies: Personally, I love adding ground cardamom (around ¼ teaspoon) to my molasses cookies. It really brings out their flavor.

How long does Molasses last?

While unopened jars of molasses can last up to 10 years when stored in a dry, cool place once Molasses is open, it has a shelf life of 6 months. Open jars of molasses need to be stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Hot and humid weather can promote mold growth and will spoil the product.

It is not very easy to tell if Molasses has gone bad so keep an eye on the color, smell, and flavor.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.