Pomegranate, orange, and clove flavors are the perfect thing to spice up your holiday baking in these chewy and delicious pomegranate orange molasses cookies.
I love pomegranate molasses in savory cooking. Since I always have it on hand, I was inspired to make this cookie recipe. After many tests, I found the perfect balance of flavors and textures in this special twist on molasses cookies.
In This Post
- Baking with Pomegranate Molasses
- Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos
- Tips & Tricks
- More Recipes that Use Pomegranate Molasses
- Jump to Recipe
Baking with Pomegranate Molasses
Since pomegranate molasses is on the sour side, it is not typically used in baking recipes.
Molasses is the primary sweetener in this recipe, and the balance of orange and cloves in this recipe makes the sourness of the pomegranate the perfect pairing.
Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos
You will need the following ingredients: flour, baking soda, cloves, brown sugar, pomegranate molasses, butter, orange flavor, vegetable oil, egg, and salt. Plus, sugar for rolling the cookies in before baking.
With an electric mixer (link opens in new tab) or stand mixer (link opens in new tab), beat the butter and brown sugar until light in color and texture.
Beat in the oil until well-mixed.
Scrape the batter down the sides of the bowl. Then add the pomegranate molasses and the egg. Beat until well-mixed.
Sift in the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, mixing in with a spatula halfway through then continuing. Use your hands if necessary.
Cover the dough chill until firm, about 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 375°F. If the dough was chilling longer than 2 hours, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
Measure the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and roll each piece to form 1-inch balls.
Roll the balls in a dish with granulated sugar to coat. Put the balls 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets or a silicone baking mat (link opens in new tab).
Bake until the center surface of the cookies is barely dry, 9 to 10 minutes (don’t overbake). Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack (link opens in new tab) to cool completely.
Pairs beautifully around the holidays with a Whipped Eggnog or London Fog Latte. But my favorite pairing is with a simple, unsweetened, 2-ingredient matcha.
Tips & Tricks
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.
- You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Once baked, the cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- If freezing unbaked cookie dough, do so after rolling them into balls but before rolling in sugar. They will freeze well for up to 3 months. Let the dough balls sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then roll them in granulated sugar and bake as directed.
More Recipes that Use Pomegranate Molasses
I love cooking with pomegranate molasses. It adds a beautiful sweet and sour flavor profile to any dish:
- Fesenjoon - Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken Stew
- Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Cast-Iron Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Chicken
- Pomegranate Molasses Lamb with Cauliflower Basil Puree
- Persimmon Goat Cheese Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette
... or check out all the sweets on the blog here.
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Pomegranate Molasses Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 4.5 oz.
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 2 tsp. orange extract or flavor
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened, 2 oz.
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed tight
- 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
(Minimum) 2 Hours Before Baking
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light in color and texture.
- Beat in the oil until well-mixed.
- Scrape the batter down the sides of the bowl. Then add the pomegranate molasses and the egg. Beat until well-mixed.
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, mixing in with a spatula halfway through then continuing. Use your hands if necessary.
- Cover the dough chill until firm, about 2 hours.
To Bake
- Heat the oven to 375°F. If the dough was chilling longer than 2 hours, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Measure the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and roll each piece to form 1-inch balls.
- Roll the balls in a dish with granulated sugar to coat. Put the balls 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake until the center surface of the cookies is barely dry, 9 to 10 minutes (don’t overbake).
- Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
You've got to try these cookies! I've had pomegranate molasses in my pantry for a while now and wasn't sure what to use them for. You have lots of great suggestions on this post. And these cookies are different than anything I've ever had.
I am so glad to hear it, Bernice! They're definitely different, and I'm all about special, new kinds of flavor combos. Enjoy!
Yum!! This is the perfect fall cookie! I love the combination of orange, cloves and pomegranate molasses. My daughter just asked me to make her cookies and these are great!
I'm so glad to hear you and your daughter enjoyed them, Aleta!
Every year I participate in a cookie exchange and look for something just a little different. I love the pomegranate molasses and orange flavors in this one. I'm mixing a batch for the family first. It's smells heavenly. Thank you!
I am so glad to hear it, Sandra! These are different than anything I've ever had, and I hope it's the same for you!
These cookies reminded me of all things fall! They were perfectly soft and chewy. They'll definitely become a fixed part of the season around here.
I'm so glad to hear it, Marta!
These cookies are gorgeous!! I had never heard of pomegranate molasses but that is something I needed to pick up and try! ...perfect for the holidays <3
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed them, Tammy!
Hello Candice,
I am absolutely loving the combination of pomagranate, orange and cloves here, it is perfect fall treat. I tried these delicious cookies along with my little one, holiday fun baking begins, Yay! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi Farrukh... thank you so much for sharing! And glad to hear the little one cooked along with you 🙂
Love the combination of ingredients in this cookies recipe. Perfect for holidays. Thanks For sharing
So glad to hear you liked it, Kushigalu!
Beautiful cookies! Easy and perfect, everything I like about holiday cookies. I was intrigued to taste the pomegranante molasses with the cloves. Was great! Thanks for sharing!
I'm so glad to hear it, Paula... thank you for sharing!
Your cookies are fantastic. I am sitting here with a tea and wishing I had some more of those cookies to go with it. I better get baking before my tea gets cold!
I am so, so happy to hear it, Loreto... enjoy!
Such a lovely recipe! Perfect for this time of the year. The step by step pictures were really helpful! thank you!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Laura! You are so welcome!