Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making cookies soft and chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

Why don't my molasses cookies crack? Molasses cookie dough won't have those signature cracks on top if the dough is too wet. The cracks happen when the surface of the dough dries up. Rolling in sugar really helps this because the sugar binds the moisture and dries out the dough.

“Light molasses is the sweetest and mildest out of the bunch because it is made from the first boiling cycle,” she said. “I like to use this type of molasses because it adds moisture to cookies, resulting in a soft and chewy texture.”

Use an unsulphered molasses, like Grandma's brand (pictured above) or Brer Rabbit “Full Flavor”. Avoid blackstrap molasses–it's too strong for this recipe and will make the cookies bitter.

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

This simplest kitchen hack you'll ever love!

If you bake too many cookies (as if there is such a thing!) and are concerned about them going stale, just add a slice of white bread to the storage container to keep them from hardening.

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.

Doubling up on molasses softened the cookies significantly.

Molasses is also extremely dark in color, so this batch of cookies turned out to be a deep brown.

As far as I can find, molasses is about 70% sugar and high in moisture, while blackstrap is 45% sugar, low in moisture, dense, bitter and salty.” Remember to use blackstrap only when a recipe calls for the ingredient, such as with baked beans. But don't sub in the sweetener for light or dark molasses.

Is grandma's unsulphured molasses the same as blackstrap? ›

Unsulphured molasses can be light, dark or blackstrap, as long as it hasn't been treated with sulphur dioxide. Most commercially produced molasses is unsulphured.

It's the number of times the juice is boiled that makes all the difference. Light or regular molasses is produced after the second boiling. Blackstrap molasses is what comes from a third boiling, and it's very bitter. You'll usually see it used in baked beans or barbecue sauce.

Use Brown Sugar

Add two tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar to your cookie recipe. Brown sugar can hold extra moisture because of its molecular structure (science!). The glucose and fructose found in it are hygroscopic, which means they suck up and hang onto moisture and moisture = soft, chewy cookies.

Bread Buddy: Place a slice of bread in the cookie jar or with the cookies. The moisture from the bread will transfer to the cookies, making them softer. Apple Accomplice: Similar to the bread trick, you can use a slice of apple. It works wonders in reviving the chewiness.

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.