Imagine the cozy aroma of ginger and cinnamon filling your kitchen, infused with the invigorating scent of fresh orange zest. That’s precisely what these Chewy Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies bring to your home. We’ve taken the beloved soft molasses cookie and elevated it with a dynamic flavor profile. Finely chopped pecans add a delightful crunch, while dried tart cherries introduce a crucial balancing tang against the sweetness. For an extra layer of citrus delight, we’ve included candied orange zest, making these cookies truly exceptional. They offer a refreshing, festive twist on traditional Molasses Sugar Cookies, promising a holiday treat that will impress everyone.

While I often enjoy making homemade candied orange zest for these delicious cookies, high-quality store-bought versions work wonderfully too. These cookies are fantastic on their own, but they also make an excellent companion for a diverse cookie tin. Pair them with classics like Rolled Sugar Cookies, the sophisticated Brown Butter Cardamom Snickerdoodles, and elegant traditional Linzer Cookies for a truly balanced and impressive assortment.

What Type of Molasses Should You Use for Molasses Cookies?

Choosing the right molasses is key to perfecting the flavor and texture of your cookies. For these Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies, I consistently recommend using **unsulphured molasses**. This variety has a lighter, milder, and sweeter flavor profile compared to its counterpart, blackstrap molasses. Unsulphured molasses imparts all those beautiful warm, caramelized, and slightly smoky notes that define classic molasses cookies, without the sometimes overpowering bitterness or “bite” that blackstrap can introduce.

Blackstrap molasses, while rich in nutrients, is typically much darker, thicker, and has a more robust, almost bitter flavor. It’s fantastic for certain savory dishes or specific baked goods where a strong molasses presence is desired, but for a balanced and universally appealing cookie like ours, unsulphured molasses allows the delicate orange and tart cherry flavors to shine through beautifully, complementing rather than competing with the molasses’s inherent sweetness and depth.

Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies: Ingredients Explored

Every ingredient in this recipe plays a crucial role in creating the exquisite flavor and delightfully chewy texture of these cookies. Here’s a closer look at what makes them so special:

• Shortening: This unsung hero of chewy cookies is vital for achieving that desirable tender, soft bite. Using shortening alongside butter helps prevent excessive spreading and contributes to a wonderfully soft texture that butter alone can’t quite achieve.
• Unsalted Butter: Essential for its rich, creamy flavor, butter adds depth and moisture. I always opt for unsalted butter in baking to meticulously control the salt content, ensuring a perfectly balanced cookie.
• Granulated Sugar: Beyond just sweetness, granulated sugar contributes to the cookie’s structure and helps create those characteristic cracked edges. Proper proportions with fat and flour are key to prevent flat, overly spread cookies, ensuring they remain tall and wonderfully chewy.
• Molasses: As discussed, unsulphured molasses is my choice for its milder, warm, and comforting notes, providing that signature molasses flavor without overwhelming the delicate orange and cherry. It also contributes to the rich, dark color and incredible chewiness.
• Whole Eggs: Eggs serve multiple purposes: adding fat for richness from the yolk, moisture for a tender crumb, and essential leavening when beaten into the batter. They also act as an emulsifier, binding the ingredients for a consistently perfect texture.
• Baking Soda: A powerful leavening agent, baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like molasses) to create carbon dioxide gas, resulting in a dramatic rise and a fluffy yet chewy interior. It’s crucial for the texture of these cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookie, all-purpose flour provides just the right amount of gluten development for soft, tender, and perfectly chewy molasses cookies. Measuring it correctly (spooned into the cup and leveled) is important for consistency.
• Ground Ginger: A staple in molasses cookies, ground ginger offers a subtler, more warming spice than fresh ginger, contributing to the cozy, holiday-like flavor profile without any harshness.
• Cinnamon: Paired with ginger, Saigon cinnamon (or any high-quality ground cinnamon) provides aromatic sweetness and warmth, enhancing the overall spice blend and complementing the citrus notes beautifully.
• Kosher Salt: More than just a seasoning, kosher salt is a flavor enhancer. It amplifies the sweetness and depth of the other ingredients, preventing the cookies from tasting dull or flat. Its coarser grind also means a teaspoon weighs less than fine table salt, impacting the overall saltiness.
• Orange Zest: The vibrant heart of the orange flavor! Just like in my Orange Upside Down Cake, it’s essential to zest only the bright orange outer layer of the orange peel. The white pith underneath can be bitter, so a microplane is your best friend here for concentrated, pure citrus aroma and flavor.
• Dried Tart Cherries: These are a game-changer! I specifically choose dried tart cherries because their natural tang provides a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetness of the molasses and sugar. They add a chewy texture and a pop of bright fruitiness. Always check ingredients for unnecessary added sugars in store-bought options. If you only have maraschino cherries, consider making these cherry pecan cookies instead for a different, equally delicious experience.
• Pecans: I’m partial to using fresh, plump Southern pecans for their rich, buttery flavor and satisfying crunch. However, any good quality pecan halves, roughly chopped, will do. To maintain freshness and prevent rancidity, especially if stored for more than a month or in a warm kitchen, keep them in the freezer.
• Candied Orange Zest: This provides an intense burst of sweet orange flavor and a lovely chewy texture. While I used homemade candied orange peel for this recipe, you can also finely chop good quality store-bought candied orange peel. Just be aware that store-bought varieties sometimes candy the entire rind, which can result in a less concentrated and slightly less flavorful product than homemade, which focuses on the vibrant zest.

Creative Substitutions & Flavor Variations

These Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies are incredibly versatile, allowing for fun and delicious variations to suit your taste or what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

• Nuts: While chopped pecans offer a classic pairing, feel free to substitute with your favorite nut. Walnuts would be equally delightful, adding a slightly more robust, earthy flavor. Almonds could offer a milder crunch, or even toasted pistachios for a vibrant green hue and unique taste.
• Lemon & Other Citrus: For a different citrus twist, flavor the cookie dough with fresh lemon zest instead of orange. Then, mix in candied lemon zest. You could also try a combination of orange and lemon zest for a brighter, more complex citrus note. Lime zest and candied lime peel could offer an even more exotic, fragrant option.
• Dried Fruits: If tart cherries aren’t available, or you’d like to try something new, dried cranberries (especially unsweetened ones for that tartness) or finely chopped dried apricots would also be fantastic. For a richer, sweeter chew, consider dried figs or dates.
• Spices: Enhance the warm spice profile by adding a pinch of allspice, nutmeg, or even a touch of ground cloves to the dry ingredients. These spices perfectly complement molasses and citrus.
• Dress Them Up: For a truly festive presentation, go beyond plain granulated sugar for rolling. Use vibrant green or red sanding sugar, or a mixture of both, for a dazzling effect. Sparkling sugar adds an elegant shimmer, while holiday-themed sprinkles can make them extra fun for children and adults alike. These dressed-up cookies are superb for cookie exchanges or holiday gatherings.
• Add a Glaze: For an extra layer of flavor and moisture, consider drizzling the cooled cookies with a simple orange glaze (powdered sugar mixed with orange juice) or a cream cheese frosting for a richer dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 4 ratings

Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies

by Chef Lindsey

Cherry Orange Molasses Cookies are wonderfully chewy and packed with the vibrant flavors of dried tart cherries, bright orange zest, sweet candied orange, and crunchy pecans. Each bite is a burst of deliciousness!

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Chill: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 36 cookies

Comment
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ cup shortening
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 orange (about 1.5-2 tablespoons)
• ½ cup unsulphured molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (slightly rounded)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dried tart cherries
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• ½ cup candied orange zest, finely chopped
• Additional granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Combine the orange zest with the 2 cups of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips to infuse the sugar with orange aroma. Allow this to sit and infuse while you measure and begin preparing the dough.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, gently melt the shortening and butter together until just combined. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. While the fats are melting, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Whisk thoroughly to ensure all the spices and leavening are evenly distributed. Set this dry mixture aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the infused orange sugar and the molasses. Add the cooled melted butter/shortening mixture. Beat well with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the dried tart cherries, chopped pecans, and finely chopped candied orange zest until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until it is firm enough to roll. This chilling step is crucial for the cookies’ texture and to prevent excessive spreading.
7. Once the dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Scoop the dough and roll it into balls approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter. Roll each ball generously in additional granulated sugar to coat completely. Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheets.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. For cookies that are mostly soft and chewy throughout, bake until the edges are lightly browned and show small cracks, but the centers still look slightly soft. For cookies with crisper outsides and soft centers, bake for at least 10 minutes, until the centers have definitely started to crack and look set.
10. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Yield: Approximately 36 Cookies

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal |
Carbohydrates: 30g |
Protein: 2g |
Fat: 10g |
Saturated Fat: 4g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 3g |
Trans Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 19mg |
Sodium: 225mg |
Potassium: 103mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 18g |
Vitamin A: 261IU |
Vitamin C: 2mg |
Calcium: 21mg |
Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 211

Before You Go! Explore More Cookie Recipes

Loved these unique molasses cookies? Don’t stop your baking adventure here! Check out our other delicious, chef-developed Cookie Recipes for more delightful treats. If you’re specifically in the mood for festive baking, explore some other easy Christmas cookies that are perfect for the season.

You also won’t want to miss our comprehensive list of 20 traditional Christmas cookies, featuring all your holiday favorites like classic snowball cookies and many more comforting recipes to make your celebrations even sweeter. Happy baking!