Yes, though the name chocolate-dipped molasses cookies doesn’t say it, these little mounds of loveliness are vegan. But we swear they’re sure to be loved by everyone who tries them. The author suggests serving them with hot tea or… get this: whiskey.
Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers adored this vegan cookie recipe, calling them “soft and flavorful” and “the perfect recipe.”
Tester Rebecca M. describes them as “soft, fragrant, spicy, and not too sweet” and claims that “they’re are an excellent addition to the repertoire of any cook.” We can’t argue with that.
Notes on Ingredients
- Molasses–Use light or dark molasses here, but avoid blackstrap, which will be too bitter.
- Mashed cooked sweet potato–This keeps the cookies soft and moist. You can make this by boiling, steaming, or roasting sweet potatoes. Use any leftover sweet potatoes in sweet potato patties.
- Bittersweet chocolate–Dark or extra-dark chocolate pairs best with these cookies, but if you find that too bitter, you can substitute semi-sweet chocolate.
How to Make This Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the coconut oil, sugar, molasses, and sweet potato together. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, vegetable oil, and baking powder. Add this to the sugar mixture.
- Combine the flour, salt baking soda, and spices. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Shape the dough into balls. Bake until soft and just set. Cool completely.
- Dip the cooled cookies halfway into the chocolate. Let the chocolate set before serving.
FAQs
If you wish, you can certainly temper the chocolate in which you dip these cookies. It makes for a glossier appearance and a few other things.
But honestly? Don’t sweet, er, sweat it. Just melt some dang chocolate and dip the cookies and be done with it.
Molasses is produced by boiling sugarcane juice. The first and second boilings produce light and dark molasses, which is sweet and perfect for baking. Blackstrap molasses comes from the third boiling, and is darker and more bitter than “fancy” molasses.
For these cookies, as with most molasses cookies, use a light or dark molasses, but avoid blackstrap, as it will be too bitter for the cookies.
We think spiced molasses cookies and chocolate are a match made in heaven, but it isn’t necessary to dip them in chocolate. Our testers found that they were just as tasty when enjoyed plain.
Honestly, what CAN’T you dip in chocolate? We’re partial to chocolate-dipped strawberries and shortbread cookies, but if you want something a little different, try chocolate-dipped candied citrus peel, or chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons.
Helpful Tips
- Cool the cookies completely before dipping in chocolate so that they don’t break or crumble.
- If you want to fancy up these cookies dipped in chocolate even more, sprinkle some toasted nuts over the cooling chocolate.
- The chocolate-dipped molasses cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months. The unbaked dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Shape into balls and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, store in a resealable plastic bag and bake from frozen.
- This chocolate-dipped cookies recipe is suitable for a vegan diet.
More Great Molasses Cookie Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Chocolate-Dipped Molasses Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and, preferably, tempered (see note above)
Instructions
- To make the chocolate dipped molasses cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, cream together the coconut oil, sugar, molasses, and sweet potato. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, the vegetable oil, and baking powder. Add this to the sugar mixture.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Beat the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls, and place, about 2 inches apart, on the cookies sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets once during baking. Remove from the oven and cool completely on racks.
- When the cookies are completely cool, dip each one in the tempered chocolate, so that half the cookie is coated, and the other half is bare. Place the cookie back on the sheet pan and allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Notes
- Storage–The cookies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Freezing–The unbaked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze the cookies in balls on a baking sheet, then store in a resealable bag. Bake from frozen.
- Dietary–This recipe is suitable for a vegan diet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
These molasses cookies dipped in chocolate were a hit. Everyone who tried them thought that they were absolutely delicious.
The cookies I made were slightly smaller, as I was able to get 36 cookies out of the recipe. I also used about one half of the chocolate and was able to give each cookie a nice dip…well, not all 36 made it into the chocolate! I ate several before the chocolate touched them.
If you are looking for a soft, flavorful cookie, this is just the perfect recipe. Now that I have the coconut oil in my pantry, I will definitely make these again.
Far too often, vegan baked goods are synonymous with tough, dry crumb and the tinny after-taste of baking powder. But these cookies make a compelling and delicious rebuttal to such unfortunate associations. Soft, fragrant, spicy, and not too sweet, they’re are an excellent addition to the repertoire of any cook, vegan or otherwise.
Although they’re great on their own, dipping them in chocolate makes them (unsurprisingly) even better — needless to say, the chocolate didn’t get a chance to completely set before everything was eaten.
The only criticism I have of the cookies themselves is that they’re a little on the greasy side. If I were to make them again, I would cut the amount of coconut oil by a couple of teaspoons.
Wow, these molasses cookies are good. I didn’t get around to dipping them in chocolate because they’re so darn good on their own that my husband and I could not stop eating them. They are moist and chewy, with a nice, warm, light spice to them.
The only thing I wasn’t sure about was how long to bake them for. The recipe gives a time range, but does not explain what to look for to determine when the cookies are done. I chose to bake them for the full 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
The cookies were tall and puffy when I rotated, but had deflated a bit and looked crinkly when I pulled them out of the oven. Still, they were very soft when hot. I got 33 cookies out of my batch.
These cookies are definitely worth making again.
These cookies look delicious! I love molasses and chocolate together.
Then I think you’ll love these cookies, Natalie! Kindly let us know when you try them! Wishing you and yours all the magic (and sweets!) of the season…