If you love spiced cookies, these Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies—made with molasses and rich cocoa—belong on your baking list. They need no chill time, bake in about 12 minutes, and are perfect for holiday cookie boxes.
I’m a fan of chewy, intensely flavored ginger cookies. This recipe began in 2018 but produced a softer, cakier cookie. After tweaking the sugar and egg to match my Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies, I landed on a chocolate version that’s truly crave-worthy. Molasses and Dutch-process cocoa create a chewy cookie with a crinkled top, crisp edge, and tender center.
This recipe was a 5 stars recipe for our family. I made this with my kids and it was easy to follow as well as absolutely delicious! The cookies came out perfect and we all agreed they were our new favorites.
– Maria
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Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- All-Purpose Flour (10.5–11% protein) provides a tender structure that balances the richness of chocolate and molasses.
- Test Note: Sifting helps create a light, even crumb and prevents lumps when combined with cocoa.
- Warm Spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves) form an aromatic base that pairs with molasses for classic gingerbread flavor.
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder deepens the chocolate notes and gives the dough a rich brown color.
- Test Note: Higher-quality Dutch-process cocoas deliver a smoother, more intense chocolate flavor.
- Dry Milk Powder (optional) adds a bit of milk fat to boost chewiness, flavor, and the outer crust.
- Test Note: Full-fat dry milk powder is commonly available in the baking aisle or canned milk section.
- Unsalted Butter contributes flavor and tenderness.
- Test Note: European-style butter (around 82% butterfat) improves richness and texture.
- Dark Brown Sugar adds molasses sweetness and moisture to enhance chewiness without masking the spices or cocoa.
- Unsulphured Molasses gives caramel and toffee notes that complement both cocoa and ginger.
- Test Note: Use unsulphured molasses for a balanced flavor; if unavailable, a mix of honey and blackstrap molasses can be used carefully to mimic depth.
How to Make Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
- Prep oven and pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk sifted flour, cocoa, leaveners, salt, and the warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves) until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with brown and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add molasses and egg: Mix in the molasses and vanilla, then add the egg and beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Add the dry ingredients gradually on low speed, then increase to medium until a soft, tacky cookie dough forms. Scrape the bowl to incorporate any dry pockets.
- Scoop: Portion the dough into 13 balls using a #16 scoop, about 60 grams each.
- Sugar coating: Roll each ball lightly in granulated sugar and place on the prepared sheets, spacing about 3–4 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Place the trays on the middle rack. I bake 3–4 cookies at a time so they have room to spread.
- Bake and cool: Bake 12–13 minutes, until the cookies have spread, small cracks form, and edges are set. Centers may still look soft but will settle as they cool. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chocolate dip: Melt chopped dark chocolate in a small bowl and dip cooled cookies halfway into the chocolate.
- Place dipped cookies on parchment to set. To speed setting, chill on a tray in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then remove before stacking.
Jenn’s Tips!
- Check spice freshness. Ground spices lose potency over time—fresh spices make a big flavor difference.
- Soften butter properly. It should be pliable but not melted; this ensures even creaming and a chewy texture.
- Cream butter and sugar long enough. Two to three minutes incorporates air for a lighter cookie and avoids dense centers.
- Don’t overbake. Cookies should appear set at the edges with slightly soft centers; they firm as they cool to retain chewiness.
Storage & Leftovers
- Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for 5–7 days of freshness.
- Freeze: Wrap individually, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze up to 2 months.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
4.91 from 11 votes
Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
By Jenn Davis
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Yield: 13 large cookies
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Large chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies made with molasses, Dutch cocoa, brown sugar, and warming spices. No chilling required—bake in about 12 minutes for a cookie with a crinkled top, crisp edge, and soft center.
Equipment
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electric stand mixer
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#16 large cookie scoop
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 10.5–11% protein, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 30 grams (1/3 cup) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon dry milk powder (optional)
- 170 grams (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 165 grams (3/4 cup) light or dark brown sugar
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 85 grams (1/4 cup) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 50 grams (1 large) egg, room temperature
Sugar Coating
- 67 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
Dark Chocolate Dip
- 200 grams (7 ounces) 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped and melted
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with the paddle attachment on medium-high until fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
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Mix in the molasses and vanilla, then add the egg and beat until fully combined; the mixture will lighten and become fluffy.
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Add the dry mixture in two additions, mixing on medium-low until a thick, tacky dough forms. Scrape the bowl to ensure no dry pockets remain.
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Scoop dough with a #16 cookie scoop into 60-gram balls. Gently roll each ball in granulated sugar—do not overwork the dough—and place on prepared sheets about 3–4 inches apart.
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Bake on the middle rack 12–13 minutes until the cookies have mostly flattened, small cracks appear, and edges are set. Centers may still be slightly puffy; they will flatten as they cool.
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Let the pan rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to the wire rack to cool completely. Baked cookies should measure about 3.5–4 inches wide.
Dark Chocolate Dip
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Chop the dark chocolate and melt in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between bursts until smooth.
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Dip cooled cookies halfway into the melted chocolate and place on parchment to set. Chill for about 30 minutes to firm the coating before stacking.
Notes
- Ingredients used:
- Flour: Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour (10.5–11% protein)
- Butter: European-style unsalted butter (~82% butterfat)
- Dutch cocoa: High-quality Dutch-process cocoa for deeper chocolate flavor
- Molasses: Unsulphured molasses for balanced sweetness and depth
- Oven: This recipe is written for a conventional oven. For convection, reduce temperature by 25°F and start checking early.
Weigh your flour: The tested conversion used here is 1 cup = 125 grams. Weights are provided for accuracy and testing consistency.
Old version: The original 2018 version made a thicker, more cake-like cookie. The updated recipe reduces one egg and adjusts sugar for a chewier texture.
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!