This chewy Snicker-Snaps cookie recipe makes about 8 dozen wonderfully soft molasses-and-spice cookies in roughly 1 hour and 35 minutes, excluding cooling. The dough combines softened butter, sugar, eggs, regular unsulphured molasses, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, then each portion is rolled in sugar before baking.
Every cookie has a crisp, sparkling exterior and a tender, chewy center with the warm flavor of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Chill the dough for 1 hour and remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are just beginning to brown while the centers still look slightly soft.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
Snicker-Snaps are the kind of old-fashioned cookies that disappear quickly from a dessert table. They have the familiar sparkle of a sugar cookie, the fragrant spice of a ginger cookie, and the deep, mellow sweetness of molasses in every bite.
The texture is the main attraction. The outside becomes lightly crisp and crackly, while the middle stays pleasantly chewy because the cookies are baked only until the edges begin to brown.
This recipe also makes about 8 dozen cookies, so it is especially useful when you need a large batch. Bake them for a holiday gathering, package them for neighbors, or keep a tin on the counter for after-school treats.
If you are building a full cookie platter, add a chocolate favorite such as these chewy Christmas chocolate chip cookies for a contrast in flavor and color.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is simple, but each item has a clear job. Softened butter provides richness and helps the sugar cream into a light mixture, while the eggs bind the dough and contribute to its tender texture.
- Butter: Use 1 cup, or 2 sticks, softened at room temperature.
- Sugar: The dough needs 1 1/2 cups, plus extra for rolling the shaped cookies.
- Molasses: Choose regular unsulphured molasses for a rounded, pleasantly bittersweet flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can taste too bitter for these cookies.
- Flour and baking soda: Four cups of all-purpose flour provide structure, and baking soda helps the cookies spread and brown.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves create the signature warm flavor.
Measure the flour carefully, preferably by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling the top. Too much flour can make the cookies dense instead of soft and chewy.
For another soft cookie with a rich, familiar flavor, you can also try these chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies alongside this molasses batch.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Soften the butter until it yields easily when pressed but is not melted or greasy. Place it in a large mixing bowl with the 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and beat until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and creamy.
Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mixing them in gradually keeps the batter smooth, then you can pour in the molasses and beat until the color is evenly deep brown.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. This distributes the leavening and spices before they are added to the wet mixture.
Step 4: Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix only until no obvious streaks of flour remain; excessive mixing can make the finished cookies less tender.
Step 5: Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, or until it is firm enough to handle. This rest is important because molasses makes the dough soft, and chilled dough is easier to roll into neat balls.
Step 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Shape the chilled dough into approximately 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in extra granulated sugar until the surface is evenly coated.
Step 7: Arrange the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. The spacing gives the cookies room to spread without running into one another.
Step 8: Bake each batch for 10-12 minutes, watching for edges that are beginning to brown. The centers should still look slightly soft when you remove the pan, since they will continue setting from the residual heat.
Step 9: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Transfer them carefully to a wire rack so air can circulate around the bottoms as they finish cooling.
Pro Tips for Soft, Chewy Cookies
Chilling is not an optional step for the best texture. If the dough feels sticky or difficult to shape after an hour, return it to the refrigerator briefly rather than adding extra flour, which can change the balance of the recipe.
Use an approximate 1-inch portion for each cookie so the batch bakes evenly. A small cookie scoop can make portioning faster, especially when preparing a large yield.
- Use softened butter, not melted butter, for proper creaming.
- Keep the baking sheets ungreased as directed.
- Leave about 2 inches between dough balls.
- Remove the cookies while the centers still look soft.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for about 2 minutes before moving them.
Ovens can vary, so begin checking at the 10-minute mark. A cookie that looks perfectly firm in the oven may become dry once cooled, while a slightly soft center will settle into the desired chewy texture.
For a seasonal variation on the sugar-coated cookie idea, serve these with our pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe for a beautifully spiced dessert spread.
Serving, Storage, and Make-Ahead Ideas
Serve Snicker-Snaps at room temperature with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or a cold glass of milk. Their spice profile also makes them a lovely companion to vanilla ice cream or a simple scoop of whipped cream.
Once fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Place parchment between layers if you want to protect the sugar coating and keep the cookies looking neat.
Because this recipe makes about 8 dozen, you can prepare a large cookie assortment without repeating the same flavor. A few cookies also look inviting on a dessert plate with a small dish of quick strawberry sauce for dipping or drizzling over ice cream served alongside.
For a make-ahead plan, chill the dough as directed, shape it into balls, and bake in batches as needed. Keep the remaining dough cold while one tray is in the oven so the cookies retain their shape and chewy centers.
Ways to Serve a Cookie Tray
Snicker-Snaps bring warm brown color and aromatic spice to a mixed cookie platter. Arrange them with lighter sugar cookies, chocolate treats, and nutty bakes so each selection offers a different texture.
For a more dramatic dessert table, pile the cookies on a cake stand and scatter a few whole cinnamon sticks nearby. The simple sugar coating catches the light and gives the batch a festive, bakery-style finish without requiring icing.
If you want to add a darker chocolate note to the assortment, include these chocolate pistachio cookies beside the molasses cookies. Their contrasting color and nutty flavor make the entire tray feel abundant and carefully planned.
These cookies are also sturdy enough for casual gifting once cooled completely. Package them in a sealed tin or food-safe box, and separate varieties with parchment to help preserve their individual flavors.
Chewy Snicker-Snaps Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cream the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the molasses.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together. Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Shape the dough into approximately 1-inch balls and roll each in granulated sugar.
- Place the balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This chewy Snicker-Snaps cookie recipe delivers a generous batch of soft, warmly spiced molasses cookies with crisp sugar-coated edges and tender centers. The method is straightforward, but chilling the dough and avoiding overbaking are the details that make the texture especially satisfying.
Gather your butter, molasses, and favorite baking spices, then let the dough rest while the flavors come together. Pull each tray from the oven as soon as the edges begin to brown and the centers remain slightly soft for cookies that stay chewy after cooling.
Whether you are filling a holiday tin, preparing a cookie exchange, or simply craving an old-fashioned spiced treat, these Snicker-Snaps are a reliable favorite. Make the full batch, because sharing a few is easy when you have about 8 dozen fragrant cookies cooling on the rack.