Sweet and spiced ginger cookies are amazing paired with a cup of tea, and these Cardamom Ghee Molasses Cookies are my go-to year-round. They are soft, chewy, and have just a little crackle crunch on the exterior. They're spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger and have that perfect chewy molasses cookie texture.
Why this Recipe Works
Ginger and spices like cinnamon and cardamom are a scrumptious match, and create that warm, rich spiced flavor in recipes.
They are perfect if you are looking for a non-chocolate option. The recipe is inspired by my travels to India and flavors found in my Persian heritage, with the cardamom and ghee (clarified butter). And the flavors pair together perfectly.
They’re easy to make and take just 45 minutes from start to finish.
Perfectly pairs with bitter black tea like Persian tea, or chai.
Ingredients & Substitutions
ghee - a clarified butter that is cooked for 15 minutes for added nuttiness. It adds a wonderful nutty flavor into these cookies. You can buy it at the grocery store or make your own with this recipe.
molasses - I use blackstrap molasses.
baking powder - if you only have baking soda, add a teaspoon of lemon juice and you can substitute with ½ teaspoon baking soda. You need the acid to help the baking soda react as a leavener.
How to Make this Recipe
Preheat to 375F. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, butter, both sugars, and molasses in a large bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
Roll 1-tbsp sized balls of dough and place on a flat surface. (Freeze the one's you don't want to use today on a baking sheet, and store in a sealed container in the freezer. Let them defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes before you roll them in the sugar.)
Roll in raw or turbinado sugar and place on parchment-lined baking sheets ~2-inches apart.
Note: You can freeze the cookie on a baking sheet after rolling them into balls. Let them come to room temperature, then roll in sugar and bake.
Bake 4 minutes. Rotate pan. Bake another 4-6 minutes, until cookies are puffed and cracked. Cool on wire racks.
Molasses Cookies FAQs
It adds an irreplaceable flavor to the cookies, while providing the moisture in the batter necessary to make the cookies chewy.
They can go flat when there isn't enough flour or too much leavener in the cookie dough.
No, molasses does not need to be refrigerated after opening. It will keep longer in the refrigerator, but the viscosity will be unusable in baking.
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Cardamom Ghee Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup ghee room temperature
- ⅓ cup turbinado sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
- turbinado sugar more for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat to 375F.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the egg, butter, both sugars, and molasses in a large bowl.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
- Roll 1-tbsp sized balls of dough and place on a flat surface. (Freeze the one's you don't want to use today on a baking sheet, and store in a sealed container in the freezer. Let them defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes before you roll them in the sugar.)
- Roll in raw or turbinado sugar and place on parchment-lined baking sheets ~2-inches apart.
- Bake 4 minutes. Rotate pan. Bake another 4-6 minutes, until cookies are puffed and cracked.
- Cool on wire racks.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, FAQs, and tips in December of 2020.
Matt
I’m looking forward to making this recipe, but you call for soda yet soda isn’t listed with a measurement in the ingredients. How much soda is used? Thanks!
Candice
Hi Matt, it was a type-o. These cookies use baking powder, not soda. I just corrected it in the recipe... sorry about that!
Maryann Cozier
Would it be possible to replace the regular flour with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1to1 Baking Flour? Was happy to see the recipe calls for ghee. Since we have gluten free and dairy free family members.
Thank you so much!
Candice
Hi Maryann,
In theory, yes. However, I have never made the substitution myself. If you try it out, please report back and let me know how it goes!
Also, just an FYI that ghee isn't dairy-free, just lactose free <3
Maryann Cozier
Thank you, Candice! I will definitely let you know how they come out. Yes, we are aware that ghee is not dairy free. For my granddaughter, ghee is fine.
Appreciate your reply!
Maryann
Candice
Anytime! Looking forward to hearing 🙂
Maryann Cozier
Good Morning, Candice
I promised I would let you know how the gluten free flour worked. I did use the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1to1 Baking Flour and the cookies came out perfectly. Everything else I did the same. I did freeze the balls as you suggested and baked them the day I planned to use them. That also worked out perfectly. I liked the outside crunch with the turbinado sugar and the soft interior.
I will definitely make them again but might change the spices. As much as I love cardamom, I'm not sure some of my family members did.
Happy New Year!
Maryann
Candice
So glad to hear it, Maryann. I'd love to hear your spice combinations! Hubby likes it best with cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon... more of a classic take.
Maryann Cozier
Hi Candice
I used Bob's Red Mill 1to1 Baking Flour and the cookies came out perfectly.
I, also, froze the rolled dough in balls as you suggested and baked them the day I planned to use them. I loved the crunchy exterior from the turbinado sugar and the soft interior of the cookie.
I will definitely make these again. As much as I love cardamom, next time I think my family will prefer a slight change to the spices.
Thank you for your help. Happy New Year!
Maryann
Candice
I'm so glad to hear you liked them, Maryann... thank you for sharing! And happy new year to you, too!