Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy molasses chocolate chip cookies made with brown butter, molasses, and milk chocolate chips. Mixes up in under 10 minutes and bakes in 13!
I didn’t grow up with molasses chocolate chip cookies, but once I made them, I immediately wondered why the hell not. These are like regular chocolate chip cookies if regular chocolate chip cookies got a deep, caramel-y upgrade and decided to grow up a little. The molasses adds this richness that gives the cookies more oomph (and somehow makes them taste like they’ve been resting in a cookie jar in heaven for a week).
I brown the butter first because, well, once you’ve had brown butter in cookies, there’s no going back. It’s nutty, it’s toasty, and it makes the kitchen smell like something magical just happened (bc it did!). I use milk chocolate chips here because they balance the molasses; dark chocolate makes them too serious. These molasses chocolate chip cookies are chewy, rich, and a little dramatic in the best way possible.
How to make Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
For detailed step-by-step instructions, be sure to check out the full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
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Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Never Lose This Recipe—Email It to Yourself!
Make sure you have it when you need it! Bonus: You’ll get family-approved recipes and meal-planning tips, too!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup +2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2½ cups milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- To make the brown butter, add 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter melt completely, then continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foams and the milk solids at the bottom turn a deep golden brown. This usually takes 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, immediately pour the butter (and all those browned bits!) into a heatproof bowl to cool. Let it sit for 1 hour or until it solidifies.
- Once the brown butter has solidified, scrape it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar and 1 cup packed brown sugar, then mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until smooth and combined.
- Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once both eggs are incorporated, add 2 tablespoons molasses and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and mix again until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed after each one until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure no dry flour remains.
- Add 2½ cups milk chocolate chips and mix just until they’re evenly distributed through the dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the dough firm up (longer if you want thicker cookies).
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons of dough), place dough balls on the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. (Optional) Press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of the dough balls for bakery-style cookies.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden and set but the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool complete
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
My Best Cooking Tips for Making Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use Dark Molasses for Rich Flavor: Dark or robust molasses (like Grandma’s Original) gives the best deep, caramelized flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, it’s too bitter for cookies!
- Measure Molasses Correctly: Coat your measuring cup with a little oil or nonstick spray before pouring molasses it’ll slide right out with no sticky mess.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Stir just until everything is combined overmixing can make the cookies tough instead of soft and chewy.
- Slightly Underbake for the Perfect Texture: Remove cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to firm up on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt: A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top balances the sweetness and adds an extra flavor punch.
- Store with a Slice of Bread: To keep your cookies soft for days, place a slice of white bread in the container. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread instead of drying out!
Quick Recipe Help and Common Questions
Why are my cookies too flat?
Too little flour! Double-check that you measured it correctly using the spoon and level method (no scooping straight from the bag).
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes! If you don’t have cake flour, use all-purpose flour but remove 2 tablespoons and replace them with cornstarch to keep the cookies soft.
How do I make these cookies chewier?
Use more brown sugar than white sugar—it adds moisture.
Don’t overbake! Pull them out when the edges are set but the center still looks slightly underbaked.
