Cinnamon Molasses Sugar Cookies

These Cinnamon Molasses Sugar Cookies are the kind of old-fashioned cookie that makes the whole kitchen smell inviting. Butter and sugar give them crisp, lightly golden edges, while a touch of molasses keeps the centers pleasantly tender and adds a subtle caramel depth. A full tablespoon of cinnamon means the spice is unmistakable without overwhelming the buttery cookie base.

I especially like this recipe when I want a dependable cookie without extra decorating or complicated chilling. The dough comes together with basic pantry ingredients, and teaspoon-size portions bake quickly, making these perfect for an after-school treat, cookie tray, or casual weekend baking. Just watch the final couple of minutes closely; pulling them while the centers still look slightly soft gives you the best texture.

Love these cozy cinnamon cookies? Pin them to your Cookie Recipes or Holiday Baking board on Pinterest so you don’t lose them!

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 ½ tbsp molasses

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ⅛ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until creamy, smooth, and slightly fluffy.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg and molasses until evenly incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
5. Make the dough. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until a soft, uniform cookie dough forms.
6. Portion the cookies. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies to allow for spreading.
7. Bake. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. For softer centers, remove the cookies while the middles still look slightly soft.
8. Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cooking Notes

Use properly softened butter: The butter should give slightly when pressed but should not look melted or greasy. Overly warm butter can cause excessive spreading.

Measure flour carefully: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it rather than packing it down. Too much flour can make these cookies dry.

Don’t overmix: Once the flour goes in, mix only until no obvious dry streaks remain.

For softer cookies: Aim for the 10-minute end of the baking range. The centers will continue setting as the cookies cool.

For crispier cookies: Bake closer to 12 minutes, watching the edges carefully.

Molasses substitution: Regular or light molasses works best. Avoid blackstrap molasses unless you specifically want a much stronger, more bitter molasses flavor.

Nutrition

The recipe makes approximately 36 small cookies, or 18 servings of 2 cookies each. The original nutrition information supplied with the recipe closely matches the expected calorie contribution from the butter, sugar, flour, egg, and molasses.

Estimated Nutrition per Serving

Calories: 222 kcal
Fat: 11.0 g
Carb: 30.0 g
Protein: 2.0 g

Estimated serving size: 2 cookies

Recipe Science

These cookies use a classic creamed-butter cookie method. Butter provides richness and tenderness, while granulated sugar contributes sweetness, spreading, and crispness around the edges. Molasses brings both moisture and deeper caramelized flavor. Cinnamon supplies the dominant aromatic note, while baking soda provides leavening and encourages browning.

Creaming butter with sugar introduces small pockets of air that help prevent the finished cookies from becoming overly dense. Meanwhile, the combination of granulated sugar and a relatively small amount of molasses creates a useful textural balance; the cookies can develop set edges while retaining some softness toward the center. The short 10-12 minute bake is important because moisture continues redistributing as the cookies cool.

These are practical make-ahead cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or freeze them for longer storage. The portioned raw dough can also be frozen and baked later, with additional baking time as needed.

Dietary Notes & Health Alerts: Based on the supplied nutrition information, saturated fat is approximately 7 g per serving, or 35% of the FDA Daily Value, making it high. Replacing part of the butter would alter the cookie’s texture, so a smaller serving is the simplest way to reduce intake. With approximately 18 g of total sugar reported per serving and most coming from granulated sugar, added sugar is also roughly 36% of the 50 g Daily Value, which qualifies as high. Sodium, at approximately 156 mg per serving, is below the 20% Daily Value threshold.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big Cinnamon Flavor: A full tablespoon of cinnamon gives every bite a warm, fragrant spice flavor.
• Simple Pantry Ingredients: No specialty baking ingredients or complicated equipment are required.
• Quick to Bake: Small cookies need only about 10-12 minutes in the oven.
• Perfect Texture: Properly timed, the cookies develop lightly crisp edges with softer, buttery centers.
• Easy to Freeze: Freeze baked cookies or portioned dough so a homemade treat is always within reach.

FAQ

• Can I chill the dough before baking? Yes. Chilling for 30-60 minutes can reduce spreading and produce slightly thicker cookies. Let very firm refrigerated dough soften briefly before portioning.
• Why did my cookies spread too much? The butter may have been overly soft or melted. Warm baking sheets can also encourage spreading, so cool the pan before adding another batch.
• Can I use salted butter? Yes. Since the original recipe doesn’t call for additional salt, salted butter can be substituted without another adjustment.
• Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it for up to about 2 days. Allow it to soften enough to scoop before baking.
• How do I know when they’re done? Look for set, lightly golden edges. The centers can still appear a little soft when the cookies come out of the oven because they’ll firm as they cool.

Conclusion

There is something wonderfully comforting about a simple cinnamon cookie that fills the kitchen with that warm, familiar bakery aroma. Don’t be afraid to adjust the baking time by a minute or two to make these cookies exactly as soft or crisp as your family prefers; cooking is a journey, and the best recipes are the ones you make your own.

Would you serve these with cold milk, hot coffee, or a mug of cocoa? I’d love to hear your favorite pairing. Happy baking!