Pumpkin Ginger Molasses Cookies

Fall is here and Christmas is coming! What does that mean, you ask? It means it’s time for a a fall-istmas cookie! These pumpkin ginger molasses cookies are the perfect blend of fall (pumpkin) and Christmas (ginger and molasses) and let me tell you, they are de-lic-ious!

A stack of cookies on a white plate with a glass of milk in the background.

The ingredients you’ll need to make these tasty pumpkin ginger molasses cookies

  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Molasses
  • Egg
  • Vanilla
  • Flour
  • Sea salt
  • Spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves)
  • Baking soda
A stack of cookies on a white plate showing the cracked top details of the cookie.

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How to make the cookies

  1. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy.
  2. Add the egg and the pumpkin puree and mix for another minute or so.
  3. Next, add the molasses and vanilla extract and mix until they’re well blended, about a minute.
  4. Whisk the flour, sea salt, baking soda, and spices together in a separate bowl.
  5. Then, slowly add the flour (I’d say, half or so at a time) and mix it until just combined. There shouldn’t be many streaks of flour, and try not to over-mix the dough.
  6. Cover the dough and pop in the fridge for an hour or so (or a day or two if needed).
  7. To bake the cookies, let the dough warm up a bit and then using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop, scoop the dough, roll it into balls with your hands, and generously roll the balls in sugar. Then, place them on the baking sheet a couple of inches apart.
  8. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, cool completely, and devour!
Cookies in an antique loaf pan with a purple checkered napkin.

Now, about these pumpkin ginger molasses cookies

These pumpkin ginger molasses cookies are literally the perfect texture with tons of thickness and chew. You can really sink your teeth into them, which might be my favorite part.

The cookies have a hint of spicy pumpkin, or wait, maybe they’re more like a pumpkin-y ginger snap. Oh forget it, they’re hard to classify, but they’re soft and chewy, and also a little crispy, and spicy, and just totally delicious. You’ll want to make these cookies all season long!

Ever made your own pumpkin puree? Read how to do it here; it’s kind of fun and it’s perfect for all kinds of recipes and will 100% put you in a fall mood.

A stack of pumpkin ginger molasses cookies on a white plate with a purple checked napkin.

Questions about this recipe

You don’t have to, but it makes rolling the balls easier. The dough is pretty soft without chilling, so if you don’t chill it, handle it as little as possible.

Since these are a soft and chewy cookie, they’ll do best in an airtight container for 3-ish days. The cooked (and cooled) cookies freeze well too, so if you have some extra, pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Absolutely, this recipe is perfect for doubling. In fact, if you just hit the 2x button the recipe card, I’ll even do the math for you. 😁

This is because pumpkin puree generally makes a cake-like texture when baked and brown sugar also causes cookies to be less thin, so the combination of the two often leads to really thick, cakey cookies.

Using white sugar increases the spread of the cookies, because the white sugar dissolves while baking faster, helping compensate for the puff you see when baking with pumpkin puree. So the cookies puff less in total. It’s baking science, baby.

A stack of cookies sitting on a white plate with a glass of milk in the background.

Pumpkin Ginger Molasses Cookies

By: Kristine Underwood
A soft and chewy ginger molasses cookie with fresh pumpkin puree for a touch of fall. Bringing fall and Christmas together in one yummy cookie.
4.42 from 43 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Sweets & Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 20 cookies
Calories 142 kcal

ingredients
 
 

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • Extra sugar for rolling

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2 minutes).
    1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar
  • Add the egg and pumpkin and continue mixing for 1 minute.
    1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 egg
  • Mix in the molasses and vanilla extract until incorporated.
    1/4 cup molasses, 1 tsp vanilla
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sea salt, spices, and baking soda.
    2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp baking soda
  • Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Refrigerate 1 hour to 3 days.

To bake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Using a 1.5 TBS cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into a ball with your hands.
  • Roll cookies in sugar and place on a lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
  • Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  • Cool on the pan until sturdy enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Make sure to read the cookie baking tips to get answers to common questions about baking cookies.
If you’re interested in making your own homemade fresh pumpkin puree, here’s how to do it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 142kcalCarbohydrates: 23.4gProtein: 1.7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 179mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 12.6g
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Recipe Rating




28 Comments

  1. Molasses cookies are a favorite of our family. The pumpkin addition is just perfect!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much! The pumpkin adds just a little something special, haha!

  2. Eek.. 4 days off-line is LONG! I would’ve freaked out too. These look fantastic btw.. pumpkin and ginger snap combined– yum!5 stars

  3. I am always looking for new ways to use pumpkin in the fall and I love this combination of ingredients. The ginger and molasses is perfect alone but add the pumpkin and you have a blue ribbon winner:)5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Ali! They sure didn’t last long over here!

  4. Your site looks beautiful! I’m sure it was unnerving to be offline for four days though. These cookies look delicious! Way to come back strong!5 stars

  5. It’s so stressful when you’re site is down for any reason and I can definitely relate to that! Glad to see you are back with this beautiful recipe! Love the combination of ginger and pumpkin in these cookies! Can’t wait to try them! 🙂5 stars

    1. It so is! Thank you so much Sherri! I hope you enjoy your weekend and the cookies!

  6. I love the traditional pumpkin spice everything but these are a little different. I love it. I think it’s great to see not the same old same old, and these cookies are really delicious.5 stars

    1. Haha me too Kaitie, but I’m always looking for ways to use pumpkin in new ways, it’s such a fun way to bring fall into everyday recipes! Thank you so much!

  7. Stephanie says:

    Four days would seem like an eternity if your site is down. Glad you’re back and running. These cookies can be Fall and Christmas for sure. Great pictures..Makes you want to eat them 🙂5 stars

    1. You have no idea Stephanie! AH! Thank you so much, I enjoyed eating them all for sure! 🙂

  8. Pumpkin spice and molasses sound like an amazing combo!5 stars

    1. Thanks so much John!

  9. Kent Kane says:

    When you say rotate halfway through. do you mean rotate the pan, or flip the cookies ?5 stars

    1. Hi Kent! I just mean the pan. Most ovens have hot spots or like mine, are much hotter on one side and it helps to bake the cookies evenly. If your oven is pretty even, you can skip this step. Happy baking!

  10. Very delicious and simple to make, everyone loved them. Thanks for sharing .5 stars

    1. Hi Shannon! Thank you so much, I am so glad to hear they were a hit! This is one of my favorite recipes! Happy holidays! xoxo

  11. Hi There. Just wondering if these cookies freeze well.5 stars

    1. Hey Jenn! Heck yes they do, both the dough and the actual cookies. I usually freeze the actual cookies because I hate waiting for the dough to come up to room temperature when I want to bake them. Happy baking!

  12. Can you use dark brown sugar instead of regular?5 stars

    1. Yes, absolutely. In fact, it’ll probably make the flavor even deeper and the cookies chewier.

  13. These cookies are INCREDIBLE! I loved the soft, chewy texture and punch of flavor. Great cookie!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much, Dina! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the cookies – one of our faves too!