You’ll love the taste and texture of these Sourdough Molasses Cookies. Molasses and sourdough are a match made in cookie heaven! Perfectly spiced, seriously chewy with a crunchy, crackly top, these cookies develop an even more delicious texture days after being baked, which makes them perfect for gift-giving!
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These cookies are another collaboration with my baking bestie Mimi Council. Mimi founded the very first organic bakery in the United States, which specialized in cookies when they first opened. So when we decided to collaborate, I knew I had to ask her to create a cookie recipe that would take full advantage of the unique qualities of sourdough discard. These cookies were it!
Check out the other recipes Mimi and I collaborated on: Rosemary Sourdough Bread, Lemon Lavender Sourdough Bundt Cake, Sourdough Irish Soda Bread and Red Velvet Cake Balls.
What makes these molasses cookies special
Sourdough Molasses Cookies are coated in cane sugar before being baked, this results in cookies with a crackly and crunchy crust. The addition of molasses creates an incredibly sweet and chewy texture. These cookies taste incredible fresh out of the oven, but their texture really transforms once they are fully cooled. They are even better days after being baked, becoming even chewier, almost candy-like and seriously delicious.
Five spice adds a kick to these cookies and makes them different from regular spice cookies. We usually keep whole spices at home, so I created my own five spice mix using cinnamon, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves and fennel seeds. This combination of spices imparts a delicious warmth, a little spice and notes of licorice to these cookies. I include the recipe for my five spice mix here, but you can totally use your favorite store-bought brand.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Unsalted butter: Mimi’s original recipe uses salted butter, but I wanted to test this recipe with unsalted butter as well since it's what most bakers have at home. I added a little bit more salt to my cookies and they ended up delicious. Salted butter does add a delicious flavor so, use it if you have it.
Cane sugar: Imparts sweetness and gives these cookies their characteristic crackly and crunchy exterior. I also use it in my Sourdough Sugar Cookies, Sourdough Chocolate Shortbread Cookies and Sourdough Cranberry Orange Biscotti.
Blackstrap molasses: The key ingredient in these sourdough molasses cookies! It adds a rich flavor, sweetness and wonderful chewiness to these cookies.
Sourdough discard: Both active sourdough starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe. Add 28 grams of flour and 28 grams of water to your cookie dough if you don't have a sourdough starter.
All purpose flour: The low protein content of all-purpose flour imparts tenderness while helping these cookies maintain their chewy structure
Chinese five spice: Makes these cookies so unique, imparts warmth, heat and a note of licorice. You can make your own or use store-bought.
See recipe card for detailed ingredient information.
Baking with sourdough discard
Sourdough discard adds a great tangy flavor that balances the rich sweetness of molasses. Since you are not using it to make bread, your sourdough starter does not need to be activated or fed for it to work in this recipe and you can use it directly from the fridge. Older discard will have a tangier, more acidic flavor than freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll get a slightly different result but your cookies will still be delicious!
Love sourdough discard cookies? Check out my Top 5 Sourdough Cookie Recipes.
How to Make Sourdough Molasses Cookies
STEP 1: Make the cookie dough
Cream the butter, sugars, molasses and vanilla. Fold in the sourdough discard, flour, baking soda and spices.
STEP 2: Shape the cookies
Use a small cookie scoop to measure out cookie dough. Coat cookie dough balls in cane sugar.
STEP 3: Bake
Arrange cookie dough balls on baking sheet with room to spread. Bake cookies at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes.
Baker's Tips
- Weigh your ingredients. Using a scale is much more accurate than using cups and tablespoons.
- Both active sourdough starter and sourdough discard will work for this recipe.
- Using a cookie scoop will result in evenly-sized cookies that bake at an even rate.
- Don't over bake the cookies or they will turn out too crisp and lose their chewiness.
- These cookies last up to a week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make-ahead Instructions
- Make the cookie dough as instructed.
- Portion out the cookie dough but don't roll them in sugar.
- Place the balls on a small baking sheet (no need to space them out) and freeze the tray uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Move the cookie dough to a ziplock bag and store for up to 3 months.
- Bake frozen cookie dough at 375 F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
The prominent flavor in this cookies is five spice. The tang of sourdough really compliments the sweetness and strong flavor of molasses.
Absolutely! Simply use the same proportion of freshly fed sourdough starter in the recipe. Your starter won’t add a strong tangy flavor to your cookies, but will still work.
If you don’t have a starter, but still want to try out this recipe, simply add 28 grams of all-purpose flour and 28 grams of water to your dough. The recipe will still turn out delicious, but you won’t have the tangy flavor of sourdough.
Yes! You can use your discard directly from the refrigerator for this recipe. Since you won’t be using it as a leavener, your starter does not need to be fed or activated for it to work.
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Sourdough Molasses Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- stand mixer or hand mixer
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Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened
- 113 grams organic cane sugar
- 113 grams organic dark brown sugar
- 85 grams organic blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
- 57 grams sourdough discard
- 255 grams organic all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Topping
- 57 grams organic cane sugar
Five Spice
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 grams fennel seeds
- 3 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 5 star anise
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugars: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, cane sugar, dark brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to medium and continue to cream the butter mixture for 5 minutes, until it is noticeably lighter in color.113 grams unsalted butter, 113 grams organic cane sugar, 113 grams organic dark brown sugar, 85 grams organic blackstrap molasses, 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
- Make the dough: Add the sourdough discard, flour, Chinese five spice, baking soda, and salt in that order. Mix on low until combined into a stiff dough.57 grams sourdough discard, 255 grams organic all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon Chinese five spice, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Prep: Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cane sugar for the topping into a bowl. Set aside.57 grams organic cane sugar
- Portion out your cookie dough: Using your hands, or a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, form or scoop the dough into 22 balls and roll them in the cane sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Chill dough: Refrigerate the baking sheet for at least 1 hour, or you can refrigerate overnight.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer half the cookie dough balls onto the second baking sheet, and space them all at least 1-inch apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies look puffed and dry around the edges. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Enjoy and store: These cookies are best enjoyed once they are fully cooled and are even better a few days after being baked. Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- High Altitude: Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies look puffed and dry around the edges.
- To make the five spice: Toast the whole spices in a small pan over medium high heat until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes3 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 grams fennel seeds, 3 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns, 5 star anise
- Grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder until you have a fine powder
- Store excess five spice in an airtight container for up to 6 months
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Heather says
These are absolutely fantastic! Wonderful recipe!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So glad you loved them, Heather!
Patricia says
1) Reflected in "Notes" above: Add ½ teaspoon salt if using salted butter.
I'm guessing the added salt amount is supposed to be smaller....1/8 or 1/4?
2) Instead of "fine breadcrumb coating", any alternatives?...like panko crumbs, semolina, or cornmeal?
ThankYou! Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
The 1/2 tsp measurement is correct for salted butter. But you'd need to use 3/4 tsp for unsalted butter.
Linda says
Yum—LOVE these cookies!! The finished dough is wonderful to work with—like adult Play Doh! Don’t be tempted to leave them in the oven longer than the directions say.
I noticed in the blog directions it says to bake at 325, but the recipe says 375. I baked mine at 375.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Must have been a typo! Thank you for letting me know.
Arlene says
Easy to make. I created my own spice mixture. Nutmeg. cinnamon, ginger and clove spice. Dough freezes nicely to pop in for some fresh cookies. Good recipe.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So glad you loved the cookies!
Ron says
Just removed from the oven. Baked at 375F for 14 minutes. Got 21 Chewy Molasses Cookies that look like those in the recipe photo. Took Hannah’s advice and started using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour for baking and starter. I used Molasses, not Blacksrap Molasses. Used all the other ingredients in the recipe. This recipe is definitely a keeper and extremely easy to make!
anna says
These cookies were amazing! I haven't baked cookies in forever, but was looking for a new and unique recipe to use up sourdough discard. Refrigerated the dough overnight and they turned out perfectly. The five spice was a welcome twist on a classic molasses cookie.
Deborah says
Cookie flavor and texture was great. 1. Question on step #2. Why is it necessary to add discard then dry ingredients one at a time "in that order"??? As written, the dough was stiff, but too stiff to properly mix all dry ingredients at that point. I split the dough into two parts and added water a Tbsp at a time to get it moving and properly mixed; would have been overwhelming for a new baker; then I recombined the dough halves to ensure all dry ingredients were distributed. Next time I'll do what I know to do, i.e., mix all dry ingredients before adding. I gave step #2 the benefit of the doubt and wished I hadn't. 2. Per step #5, I chilled the dough over night. They sat at room temp about 15 minutes before baking but they were no where near ready in 10-12 minutes. How much time do you recommend that they warm up before baking??? Overall, loved the flavor and texture. This recipe is a keeper.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
I'm surprised this recipe gave you a few issues as it's usually such a straightforward one for everyone. I usually try to add in the discard before adding in the flour to make sure that it gets evenly distributed throughout the dough without over mixing the flour and building too much gluten.
The extended baking time may have been a result of adding the water to the dough, although I can't be sure as I've never encountered this before.
This dough does tend to be a bit stiff. Try it by adding the discard and flour in at the same time next time and let me know how it goes.
Kiersten says
I don't usually leave blog comments but since there aren't a whole lot of other comments on this recipe, I thought I'd leave my two cents. Made this exactly as written, except I used Demerara sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls. SO delicious and chewy, with an unexpected flavor from the Chinese five spice. These are definitely going on my list of cookies to make for Christmas, and that's a high bar! Love finding something unique to do with my sourdough starter. One can only make so many crackers. 🙂
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Thank you so much Kiersten! So flattered to hear that you love them and they are going in your cookie boxes. These have a permanent place in mine. I ship them all over the country and I always hear good reports about how well they hold up in transit.
Joanna says
I didn’t use blackstrap molasses. I used 85g pomegranate molasses instead. The result was very good — my cookies tasted satisfyingly sweet but with some freshness given by the acidity of pomegranate molasses.
I know the combination sounds really weird. But if someone feels bored and wants to experiment, give pomegranate molasses a go. You won’t feel upset.
Thank Hannah! This is the third recipe I’ve tried on this website. I will keep trying. All recipes look so good!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Wow that's such great idea, I might have to try it myself. I have a bottle of pomegranate molasses in my fridge. This might be what everyone is getting in their holiday cookie box!
Holly says
These were fucking amazing
Hannah Dela Cruz says
So happy you enjoyed the cookies!
Sara says
The taste kind of like apple pie. Yum!
I think at my high altitude, I will use less baking soda next time.