These soft and chewy gluten-free molasses cookies are rich with molasses and warm spices. An easy one-bowl recipe that’s gluten-free and dairy-free with a refined-sugar-free option. Perfect for holiday baking or a cozy everyday treat.
🍪 Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies (Soft & Chewy)
Warm, cozy, and irresistibly soft, these Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies are everything you want from a classic holiday cookie. They bake up tender in the center with that iconic crackled top, filling the kitchen with the aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and rich molasses.
Whether you’re baking for the holidays or craving something spiced and comforting, these easy one-bowl cookies are a gluten-free favorite you’ll want to make again and again.
💛 Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
- Soft, chewy texture — thanks to almond flour, molasses, and just the right amount of arrowroot.
- Easy one-bowl recipe — no mixer required, minimal cleanup.
- Warmly spiced — ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice create classic holiday flavor.
- Refined-sugar-free option — roll in maple sugar instead of cane sugar.
- Perfect holiday cookie — great for gifting, cookie swaps, or serving with tea.
🍯 Molasses Cookies vs. Ginger Cookies vs. Gingerbread Cookies
Understanding the differences helps highlight what makes molasses cookies unique.
➡️ Molasses Cookies
- Chewy, soft centers
- Deep, rich flavor from molasses
- Warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves)
- Rolled in sugar for their signature sparkly, crackled top
➡️ Ginger Cookies
- Spicier and ginger-forward
- Often thinner and crispier
- May include less molasses or none at all
➡️ Gingerbread Cookies
- Firmer, drier dough designed for cut-out shapes
- More balanced spice blend
- Typically less chewy
🌿 Which Type of Molasses to Use?
For baking, unsulphured molasses is ideal.
It provides:
- The deepest flavor
- Soft, chewy texture
- Warm caramel notes without bitterness
Avoid blackstrap molasses for this recipe — it’s too bitter and will overpower the spices.
📝 Ingredients (and What Each One Does)
- 🥥 Palm Shortening (or Butter) - Keeps the cookies dairy-free while providing fat for richness and tenderness.
- 🍁 Maple Syrup - Adds moisture and subtle sweetness that complements molasses beautifully.
- 🍂 Unsulphured Molasses - The backbone of the cookie — gives its classic chewy texture, deep color, and warm flavor.
- 🌶️ Spices: Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Allspice - This blend creates the comforting holiday aroma and signature flavor.
- ✨ Baking Soda - Helps the cookies spread slightly and creates the signature cracked surface.
- 🌰 Almond Flour - Keeps the cookies moist, tender, and gluten-free.
- 🌾 Arrowroot Starch - Adds lightness and structure, preventing the cookies from becoming dense.
- 🍬 Cane Sugar or Maple Sugar (for Rolling) - Creates the sweet, sparkly exterior and enhances browning.
👩🍳 How to Make Soft Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
1️⃣ Prep the Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2️⃣ Mix Wet Ingredients
Whisk together palm shortening (or butter), maple syrup, and molasses.
3️⃣ Add the Spices & Baking Soda
Mix in the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and baking soda.
4️⃣ Add the Flours
Stir in almond flour and arrowroot until a soft dough forms.
5️⃣ Chill the Dough
Chill to help prevent excessive spreading.
6️⃣ Roll
Roll dough into balls and coat each one in cane or maple sugar.
7️⃣ Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until crackled on top but still soft.
8️⃣ Cool
Cool briefly on the sheet before transferring to a rack.
💡 Tips for Perfect Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
- Do not overbake. Soft centers = chewy cookies.
- Chill the dough to prevent spreading.
- Use dark molasses for the best flavor.
🎨 Variations
✔️ Refined-Sugar-Free - Roll in maple sugar instead of cane sugar.
✔️ Extra Spicy - Add more ginger or a pinch of black pepper.
✔️ Chocolate-Dipped - Dip cooled cookies in melted dark chocolate.
☕ Serving Suggestions
- Pair with tea, coffee, or mulled cider.
- Add to holiday cookie platters.
- Crumble over ice cream or yogurt.
- Give as gifts in jars or tins.
📦 Storage
- Room temp: 5–7 days
✨ Final Thoughts
These gluten-free molasses cookies are everything you want in a holiday cookie: soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and simple to make. With their rich molasses flavor and comforting blend of spices, they bring a little homemade warmth to any occasion. From holiday celebrations to everyday moments, these cookies add a touch of holiday cheer that makes any day feel a little sweeter.
More Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies:
Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
Enjoy a batch of these deliciously spiced, soft and chewy gluten-free molasses cookies during the holidays or whenever a craving strikes.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons/28g palm shortening
- ¼ cup/60ml maple syrup
- ¼ cup/60ml molasses
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup/112g almond flour
- ½ cup/72g arrowroot
- Sugar for rolling (either cane sugar or maple sugar)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In large bowl beat together the shortening, maple syrup and molasses until creamy. Stir in spices and baking soda followed by the flours until dough comes together.
- Chill dough for 15-20 minutes in the fridge or until firm enough to roll into balls.
- Shape dough into 12 balls, roll in sugar of choice. Place balls about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or just until set and cookies are starting to crack on top (do not overbake.) Remove from oven and transfer cookie sheet to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
VARIATIONS: Roll cookies in cane sugar for a bit of sparkle or maple sugar for a refined sugar-free version.
STORAGE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
DIETARY INFO: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free,
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
molly says
I adjusted based on what I had in my kitchen and made them with butter instead of shortening and honey instead of maple syrup. Also, left out the allspice. The flavor is good, dark and spicy. I think I could have baked them another minute or two because the bottom/middle is a bit soft. But would definitely try again.
Kerri says
Hi. Do you think the recipe would come out the same with a cup for cup gluten free flour? I’m not able to use almond flour.
Sylvie says
Hi Kerri, This recipe hasn't been tested with any alternative flours so I can't say for sure but my guess would be no. Almond flour naturally has fat in it which is why there isn't much additional fat added to the recipe, take that away and the cookie would be dry. You'd have to adjust the shortening/butter to make it work.