These breast cancer awareness molasses cookies are soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and topped with the prettiest pink buttercream frosting and sprinkles. They're the perfect sweet treat for breast cancer awareness events, bake sales, fundraisers, parties, or simply a tasty weeknight dessert.
The rich molasses flavor paired with cozy spices creates that classic old-fashioned cookie taste everyone loves, while the pink frosting gives them a fun and meaningful twist.
If you love frosted cookies, be sure to try my frosted sugar cookies, banana nut frosted cookies, or brownie cookies with buttercream frosting.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy centers
- Warm cozy spice flavor
- Pretty pink frosting and sprinkles
- Great for parties and fundraisers
- Easy recipe with pantry staples
- Perfect make-ahead dessert
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients and their amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Molasses: This is what gives the cookies that classic, deep, cozy gingerbread flavor and keeps them soft and chewy instead of dry.
- Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves & Nutmeg: The warm spice blend is what makes these cookies taste festive, cozy, and full of holiday flavor.
- Buttercream Frosting: Adds a creamy, sweet finish that perfectly balances the warm spices.
- Pink Candy Sprinkles: Mostly for fun, but they add color and crunch, making the cookies feel extra cheerful and festive.
Variations
- Add White Chocolate: White chocolate pairs perfectly with molasses and spices.
- Make Cookie Sandwiches: Spread frosting between two cookies for an extra decadent dessert.
- Skip the Frosting: These cookies are absolutely delicious plain or rolled in sugar.
- Cinnamon Frosting: Add a little cinnamon to the frosting for even more flavor.
How to Make Breast Cancer Awareness Molasses Cookies
Step 1: Beat the sugar, butter, and molasses together. Then, beat in the egg until light and fluffy. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, mix them into the wet ingredients until just combined. Cover and chill.
Step 2: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Then, roll them in sugar.
Step 3: Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the cookies are still soft. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Beat the butter, milk, and vanilla. Then, gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cookies.
Expert Tips
- Chill the dough to help prevent spreading and make the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Molasses cookies continue to set as they cool. Pull them from the oven once the edges are set, but the centers still look soft.
- Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before adding frosting so it stays fluffy and pretty.
- Use an ungreased cookie sheet. The bottoms are so much better.
Breast Cancer Awareness Molasses Cookies FAQs
Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking and gives them that soft, chewy texture everyone loves.
Absolutely. Roll the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Separate layers with parchment paper if stacking.
Yes. For best results, freeze the cookies unfrosted. Thaw completely and add the frosting and sprinkles before serving.
The edges should look set while the centers still appear slightly soft. The cookies will continue firming up as they cool.
Overbaking is usually the cause. Remove them from the oven once the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft for the best chewy texture.
More Delicious Molasses Recipes
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A Conversation on Hope: Watch the Video
Food has always been my favorite way to bring comfort, and these iced molasses cookies, complete with pink ribbons and sprinkles, were baked with so much love and intention. If you look closely in the recipe photos, you’ll spot a copy of an extraordinary book: Real Talk, Real Hope: Breast Cancer Your Way by my surgeon, Dr. Loren Rourke. In the video below, Dr. Rourke and I sit down for an intimate, candid conversation about navigating a diagnosis, finding strength in the hard moments, and offering real guidance for anyone facing breast cancer. Press play to watch our discussion and heart the heart behind her new book.
Breast Cancer Awareness Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
Molasses Cookies
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Sugar for coating, optional
Buttercream Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter, 1 stick
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pink candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
Molasses Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter and molasses together.
- Beat in egg until light and fluffy.
- Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves and nutmeg together until well combined.
- Cover dough and refrigerate for about an hour. This makes handling the dough much easier.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls.
- Roll each ball in sugar to coat.
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 1 minute before removing cookies and placing on a wire rack to cool.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a medium bowl, cream butter, milk, and vanilla together. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Frost cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
- Chill the dough to help prevent spreading and make the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Molasses cookies continue to set as they cool. Pull them from the oven once the edges are set, but the centers still look soft.
- Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before adding frosting so it stays fluffy and pretty.
- Use an ungreased cookie sheet. The bottoms are so much better.
Nutrition
The rich molasses and warm spices made every bite delicious!
Such beautiful and pink cookies with the chewy molasses center. Really lovely for breast cancer awareness!
I love these cookies so much. The molasses flavor is great, and so is the texture. I’ll be making these again.
This is such a great way to promote awareness. They’re so good, and I love how easy it is to decorate them for other occasions as well.