These gluten free molasses cookies are soft, chewy and perfectly spiced. They've always reminded me of the classic cookies from the Archway box, with all the deep flavor of molasses and all the right spices. And you can bake them right away, since there's no need to chill the cookie dough!
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These molasses cookies remind me of Archway brand's. A bit darker on the outside, soft and pale on the inside, they have just the right amount of warm allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves for a little bite and all the warmth of the season.
Typically, soft and chewy cookies get their texture from a lot of butter, but these gluten free molasses cookies have only 4 tablespoons of butter in the whole batch. Their texture, instead, comes in part from the molasses that also gives them a lot of their depth of flavor.
They're so soft and chewy that they don't even become solid when you freeze them. So you can easily bite into one right out of the freezer.
Recipe ingredients
- Gluten free flour blend: You can use any of my recommended gluten free flour blends in this recipe, but be sure to add 3/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum if you use Nicole's Best, or another blend that doesn't already contain xanthan gum. If you use Better Batter, don't add any more xanthan gum.
- Baking soda: If the cookies are baked right away, adds a bit of rise, and helps the cookies brown in the oven.
- Salt: Brightens and balances the other flavors.
- Ground spices: cloves, ginger, allspice and cinnamon are the spices that you'll find in pumpkin pie spice, plus nutmeg. They're in different proportions, but the flavor profile is very similar, so you can use 1 1/4 teaspoons total of that instead if you prefer. They provide warmth, bite, and a peppery flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds a simple sweetness and makes the cookies tender.
- Butter: Adds moisture, tenderness and flavor. We use unsalted butter so we can control the amount of salt in the recipe and because the moisture content of salted butter is actually different. If your butter is salted, just leave out the added salt.
- Molasses: Made from ripened cane sugar without any preservatives, unsulphured molasses has the deep, rich flavor of dark caramel.
- Eggs: Bind the other ingredients together, provide rise in the oven, and also give the cookies a tenderness and slightly cakey texture.
How to make gluten free molasses cookies
Make the raw cookie dough
- In a large mixing bowl, place all the dry ingredients (gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, all the warm spices) plus granulated sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add the soft butter, molasses, and beaten eggs, then mix to combine.
- The raw cookie dough will be pretty sticky and soft.
- Since the raw cookie dough is so sticky, wet your hands before you handle it.
Shape the cookie dough and bake at 325ยฐF
- Using two small spoons or a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop that's a bit overfull, scoop portions of about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough.
- Shape each into a ball gently with your wet fingers.
- Place the dough about 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets, and use wet fingers to press each into a 1/4-inch thick disk.
- Bake at 325ยฐF for about 10 minutes or until no longer shiny. They will be a bit crackled-looking.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet (about 10 minutes).
Recipe tips & tricks
Use wet hands to handle this very soft dough
Since this cookie dough has so much molasses, it tends to be relatively sticky. I like to portion it with a #50 ice cream scoop, but itโs sticky enough that it can be challenging to get all the dough off the scoop mechanism.
Wet the cookie scoop, and your hands when you use them to handle it. The moisture will create a barrier between your hands and dough, and keep it from sticking.
If youโre having trouble scooping the dough or removing the portions from your scoop, try chilling the dough a bit. You do want it to be room temperature when the baking sheet goes into the oven, though, so let it warm up at room temperature a bit before baking.
Measure your gluten free flour carefully
Gluten free flour tends to be heavier than traditional wheat flour, so it's especially important that you measure out the correct amount to achieve the perfect texture for which molasses cookies are known.
When measuring out your gluten free flour blend, ditch the measuring cup and use a digital kitchen scale instead. Measuring by weight rather than volume is the best way to replicate this recipe.
Don't crowd your cookie sheet
You might be tempted to space the cookie dough closer together so you don't have to use multiple baking sheet. But since the cookies spread about an inch in every direction, you need to leave room between each dough ball, or you'll end up with one giant cookie.
Give your cookies time to cool
Let the baked cookies cool right on the baking sheet. They're very delicate when warm and will crumble or squish if you don't let them cool first.
Storage instructions
These are really soft, tender cookies that don't dry out quickly. They'll stay fresh covered in a covered dish on the counter for at least 3 days. If it's warm and humid in your kitchen, the cookies may get a little sticky, since they're so soft.
Freezing them
For longer storage, these cookies freeze really well. Since they're soft and a don't have any especially crispy parts, it's best to freeze them on a baking sheet first in a single layer. After about an hour, they'll be frozen enough to pile them into a freezer-safe ziptop bag.
You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. They don't freeze solid, so you can eat them right from the freezer or let them sit for 30 minutes at room temperature first.
Ingredient substitution suggestions
Dairy free
The dairy in these cookies comes only from the 4 tablespoons of butter. If you're dairy-free, Iโd recommend trying to replace the butter with vegan butter like Miyokoโs Creamery or Melt brand.
I donโt recommend using Earth Balance buttery sticks in place of butter, since they contain too much moisture and salt. The cookies are already soft and spread just the right amount.
Egg free
There are two whole eggs in this recipe, and they are a very important part of the texture and structure. You could try replacing each with one โchia eggโ (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel) or one “flax egg.”
Vegan
If you'd like to make a vegan molasses cookies, you can try following the substitution notes above for eliminating dairy and eggs, and be sure that your sugars aren't processed with bone char.
Serving suggestions
For a more festive look, try rolling each wet ball of dough in coarse sugar to make crackle top molasses cookies, like we did with our fancy gluten free drop sugar cookies. Then, flatten as directed, and when the cookies bake, the sugar will melt and crack to give you tons of visual appeal and a crispy layer.
Try icing the tops after they cool like we do our soft gluten free pumpkin cookies. You can also drizzle royal icing over the top of the cookies, or dip half of each cookie into white chocolate. While the icing or chocolate is still soft, add a few colorful holiday sprinkles.
FAQs
Gingerbread and molasses cookies have similar flavors and ingredients. But gluten free molasses cookies are chewier and are rolled or dropped onto a cookie sheet. Gingerbread cookie dough is usually firmer and rolled out into shapes, like the men in my gluten free gingerbread cookies. There are also gluten free gingersnaps with similar spices and aroma, but they're a bit spicier, and super crispy all the way through. They even “snap” when you break them in half.
I use Grandma's brand unsulphured molasses for baking as it's gluten free and deep, rich flavor. It's also easy to find on grocery store shelves.
Be sure not to handle the cookies at all until they've cooled completely on the baking sheet. Otherwise, they'll fall apart. And if your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain xanthan gum, be sure to add it or the cookies won't hold together.
No, this cookie dough should be at room temperature when you bake it. If you'd like to make the raw dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer, that will make it easier to handle. Shape it, and then let it warm to room temperature before you put it in the oven.
You could try using virgin coconut oil, the kind that is soft solid at room temperature, in place of butter. The cookies will probably spread a bit more, but it should still work relatively well.
No, only add more xanthan gum if your blend doesn't contain any. If it contains any xanthan gum, leave the additional amount out of the recipe.
Gluten Free Molasses Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- โ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ยผ teaspoon baking soda
- โ teaspoon kosher salt
- ยผ teaspoon ground cloves
- ยผ teaspoon ground ginger
- ยผ teaspoon ground allspice
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยพ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (84 g) unsulphured molasses
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325ยฐF. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cinnamon and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the butter, molasses, and eggs, and mix to combine. The dough will come together and be thick but soft.
- Scoop the dough using a spoon or small ice cream scoop into portions about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Using wet hands, gently shape each piece of dough into a round, and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. You can expect about 18 portions.
- With moistened fingers, flatten the balls of dough into disks about 1/4 inch thick. Theyโll spread about 1-inch during baking.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until golden brown around the edges, light brown on top and mostly firm on the top to the touch (about 10 minutes). When done, they won't glisten in the center like they did when they were raw and wet.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving (takes about 10 minutes). They will be fragile when warm, but will become firm once cool. Peel off the paper from the back to remove the cookies from the baking sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hi, Iโm Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that arenโt good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, โgood, for gluten freeโ just isnโt good enough! Come visit my bio!
Cherie says
These are great, easy to make and flavourful (yup, Canadian spelling). Next time, I will add more spicing because we like cinnamon and ginger A LOT! I also beat the eggs, butter and molasses a bit before adding them and might another time actually use a hand mixer to get the butter mixed into the eggs and molasses before I add them to the dry ingredients, but it was not a problem to incorporate it with a wooden spoon, just took a bit longer than using the mixer. I’ll experiment and see whether premixing works as well as not premixing. Since I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I have missed good cookies and these were almost as good as the soft molasses cookies I grew up eating – a nostalgia taste, really. Your recipes never fail, Nicole. Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great to hear, Cherie. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies, and that you’re making them your own by increasing the spices since that’s your thing. Thank you so much for the kind words, and for your trust in me. It means so much!
Bonnie says
Just made these molasses cookies and they are delicious. Definitely a keeper. Thank you for the recipe.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you loved the cookies, Bonnie. You’re so welcome, and thank you for sharing your experience!
Gail Buick says
I made these using plant based butter and plant based eggs. They are delicious. Our great grandson can’t eat eggs or dairy. He will love these. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Gail
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad to hear that your substitutions worked so well, Gail. Would you mind sharing exactly what sort of plant-based eggs you used? I think that would really help other readers! Thank you for sharing that, and I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Canine Lady Jane says
These were some of the BEST cookies I ever made. I didn’t have ground ginger, so I subbed one tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger. They were awesome.
Nicole Hunn says
That sounds even better, Canine Lady Jane!
Kathryn says
Hi, Thank you for this great recipe! Do you have a suggestion for storing these after I dip half of each cookie in white chocolate melts and sprinkle with Christmas colors? I want to make them two days in advance but I am afraid they will stick, the dip will get mushed, or the sprinkles will bleed.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s really more of a question about what you’re dipping them in, Kathryn, and I honestly don’t know! In my limited experience with white chocolate melts, they stay relatively soft and can’t be stacked at all. Sorry!
Mary Catherine Duffy says
make them for a monthly church event. They go down very well
Merry says
I followed the recipe exactly except that my flour had xanthan gum in the mix so I didn’t add any. The cookies tasted good but were much flatter than those in the picture and pretty much a gooey mess even when left to cool. It seems like they needed more flour. The eggs I had were extra large so maybe that’s why – too much moisture. I don’t think these will be added to my list of gf cookies to bake.
Nicole Hunn says
You don’t seem to be asking for help, Merry, but if I had to guess your issue it would be either not measuring your flour by weight, or using a flour blend that isn’t indicated.
Pam Riggins says
She probably put too much egg in it. Your recipe says 100 g of eggs weighed out of shell. If she used extra large eggs, I would think that would be too much egg.
Holly says
Nicole, I couldnโt reply directly to your comment again but regarding your info on sugar, youโre absolutely right! My studies for years have involved these type of things. The reason we lean towards sweeteners such as coconut sugar, maple sugar/syrup and honey is because they do offer some minerals and a few health benefits rather than just being what I call โdead foodโ like the white foods. Additionally, my husband is type one insulin-dependent diabetic but he loves sweets so heโll have one every now and then and the lesser processed sugars affect his blood sugar way less than more processed ones such as agave or refined sugars.
I was so excited to see you start making Paleo recipes a while ago! We love so many of them but I think the chocolate chip scones might be our favorite. So many goodies, so little time. Thanks again for the feedback and these cookies are magnificent straight from the freezer too! I put them in there so I would stop eating them #EpicFail ?