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These soft and chewy Triple Ginger Molasses Cookies deliver bold ginger flavor. Finished with Swedish pearl sugar for a delightful crunch, these aromatic cookies are the perfect warm-spiced treat for the holidays or any time of year.
Sometimes you just want a ginger cookie that really hits you with ginger, you know? If you enjoy a stronger ginger molasses cookie, these triple ginger molasses cookies absolutely deliver. They’re warm, aromatic, and packed with flavor from freshly grated ginger, crystallized ginger, and ground ginger. The texture is soft with a gentle chew, and the Swedish pearl sugar adds just the right amount of crunch on top. These are the cookies I keep going back to when I’m craving something cozy but bold.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- Triple the ginger flavor. Fresh, crystallized, and ground ginger come together for maximum warmth.
- Soft, chewy texture. The centers stay soft while the edges set perfectly.
- Rich molasses aroma. Light molasses gives sweetness with deep caramel notes—without overpowering bitterness.
- Pearl sugar crunch. Swedish pearl sugar gives every bite a delightful crunch and a pretty finish.
- Make-ahead friendly. The dough needs chilling, making it perfect for prepping ahead.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Unsalted butter – Browning the butter intensifies the flavor. You can use regular melted butter, but the flavor will be milder.
- Egg – I don’t recommend other substitution for this recipe
- Crystallized ginger – Adds chewy pops of sweetness and heat. Can be replaced with candied ginger.
- Fresh ginger – Grated fresh ginger gives brightness. Skip only if necessary.
- All-purpose flour – No substitution recommended for the correct texture.
- Baking soda – Helps the cookies spread and crackle.
- Fine sea salt – Balances sweetness and spices.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves – Classic gingerbread spices. Adjust to taste.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar works best.
- Light molasses – Use light/molasses, not blackstrap (too bitter).
- Swedish pearl sugar – Optional but highly recommended for texture; you can substitute coarse turbinado sugar.
Make Ahead and Bake Later
You can easily prep this cookie dough ahead of time so freshly baked cookies are only minutes away!
- Refrigerate the dough (1–24 hours):
Keep the dough wrapped in plastic and chilled for up to 24 hours. The flavor actually improves with an overnight rest. - Freeze the cookie dough balls (best method):
Portion the dough into 18 g balls, arrange them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. They keep well for up to 3 months. - Bake from frozen (no thawing needed):
Roll the frozen dough balls in Swedish pearl sugar right before baking. Add 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time. - Freeze the whole dough disc:
Freeze the wrapped disc of cookie dough for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then scoop and bake as usual.
How To Store
- Room temperature: Let the cookies cool down completely on the cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
- Freezer (baked cookies): Put the cookies in freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving
- To refresh cookies: Warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes for that “just baked” softness.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I skip the chilling step?
No—the dough spreads too much without chilling. Chilling also allows the flavors to deepen.
2. Is blackstrap molasses okay to use?
I don’t recommend it. Blackstrap is much more bitter and will overpower the ginger.
3. Can I make the cookies larger?
Yes! Scoop into 30–35 g balls and add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
4. Can I reduce the ginger?
You can, but they won’t be “triple ginger” anymore. Ground ginger is easiest to scale back.
These triple ginger molasses cookies have become one of my go-to holiday bakes, but honestly, I make them year-round because they’re that good and my kids ask for them! The flavor is bold, the texture is perfect, and the aroma alone makes the kitchen smell incredible. If you’re a ginger lover, I think you’re going to be obsessed with these!
Brown Butter Triple Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 50 g egg room temperature, from 1 large size egg
- 75 g crystallized ginger cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 204 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅜ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅜ tsp ground cloves
- 100 g sugar
- 60 g light molasses not backstrap molasses
Instructions
Brown the butter:
- Place the butter on a pan over medium-low heat and let it melt and then continue to cook over medium-low heat until it starts to foam and you'll start seeing brown bits start to form and smell nutty. Stir and immediately remo. You will get roughly about 114-120 grams (about 1/2 cup) of brown butter. Let it cool down to about 80 F/27 C before using
Prepare the cookie dough:
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves in a mixing bowl
- Add the browned butter, sugar, molasses, and eggs to another mixing bowl. Whisk until thick and emulsified.
- Add the flour mixture, grated ginger, and diced crystallized ginger into the butter mixture and fold until combined and form a soft dough
Chill the dough: (do not skip)
- Place the dough on a piece of cling wrap and wrap over it and pat it slightly into a disc and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours
When ready to bake the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for a conventional oven. Please lower the temperature by 20 F/ 15 C for a convection oven. Position the rack in the middle of the oven
- Line 2 to 3 large baking sheet with parchment paper
- The dough is easy to work with now that it is chilled. Portion the dough into about 18 grams (about 1 tablespoonful).
- Roll it into a dough ball
- Roll the dough ball in the pearl sugar, lightly press so the sugar stick to the dough
- Place about 1 1/2 inch apart. Depending on the size of your baking pan, you may be able to fit in 18 cookies per pan
Baking:
- Place the pan on the positioned rack. I recommend baking one pan at a time for the best results. Keep the other pan chilled in the fridge while waiting
- Bake for 4 minutes and rotate the pan and then bake for another 4-5 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center still appears soft, a bit undone, and puffy. This will flatten and crackle as it cools down
Cooling:
- Set the pan on a cooling rack and let the cookies cool down for 5 minutes and then cool on the rack completely
