Italian Molasses Cookie Slices Recipe

This has become my new favorite holiday cookie. It’s one of the cookie recipes I think of every year at Christmas time. It’s my version of Karl’s Bakery’s (Phoenix, AZ) chocolate dipped gingerbread slices I first sampled this time of year.

I was captivated by the cookie’s soft texture combined with a touch of chocolate. Though delicious, the original cookie was priced at $2.25 for each tiny slice. Wanting to share this ginger molasses cookie with friends and family, I went in search of a recipe I could make in a large quantity and found what I was looking for in a the delightful little book Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray by Maria Bruscino Sanchez.

In the headnote of the recipe for Molasses Slices or “Da-Dunes,” the author explains that these are a traditional Neopolitan Christmas cookie, introduced to her family years ago by her friend, Mary Tropasso.

The tasty cookies are formed into loaves like traditional biscotti, yet they don’t require the second baking. Maria goes on to explain that the original recipe called for “sugar, enough to taste,” and a “whole bottle of molasses.” After a few rounds of experimentation, she found what worked for her. She also suggests that you should use very dark molasses for the fullest flavor.

I love that you don’t even need an electric mixer to make these cookies. Just a couple of mixing bowls and large spoon and you’re good to go!

How Many Calories and Weight Watchers Points in these Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Slices?

According to my calculations, each serving has 97 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here! Subtract one point from each cookie if you omit dipping them in the melted chocolate.

How to Make these Sliced Molasses Cookies

Step 1: Gather and prep your ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
3 eggs
⅔ cup vegetable oil
1 cup dark molasses
⅔ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract (I used 2-3 drops DoTERRA lemon essential oil instead)

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4-½ cups flour, baking powder, salt and spices until well blended. From a well/hole in the center of these dry ingredients and set aside.

Step 3: In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, molasses, sugar and extracts.

Step 4: Pour the mixture of wet ingredients into the well of the flour mixture.

Step 5: Mix well with a wooden spoon until combined into a dough. Scrape the dough from the bowl onto a well-floured surface. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in an additional ½ cup of flour to make a firm dough. (I skipped this as my dough was firm enough, maybe because I am in Arizona where it is very dry.)

Step 6: Divide the dough into four equal pieces. If you are anal like me you can use a kitchen scale to be exact.

Step 7: Roll each piece of dough into a loaf about 12 inches long. 

Step 8: Place the loaves on parchment paper lined cookie sheet spacing them 3 inches apart. (I used 2 cookie sheets.)

Step 9: Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven until the loaves are firm to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully remove the loaves from the baking sheet onto wire cooking racks, using 2 metal spatulas. Allow to cool completely.

Step 10: Place the cooled loaves on a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, slice diagonally into ½-inch thick slices.

Step 11: If desired dip the bottoms into melted chocolate. Follow directions on the package of chocolate to melt and then dip and place on waxed paper and leave until the chocolate is set. 

Recipe Notes

I changed up the spices from the original recipe, adding 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves and omitting the nutmeg. I also dipped the baked and cooled slices in melted dark chocolate using Ghirardelli melting wafers.

I used white sugar but next time plan to try a mixture of white and brown sugar.

I used Ghirardelli melting chocolate wafers which are super easy to work with. You can find them in most well-stocked US grocery stores. 

You will want to store the baked cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh. 

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Recipe source: adapted from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray

*PersonalPoints® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan’s ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

If you liked this Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookie, you might also like

WW Holiday Spice Crackle Cookies
WW Cranberry Ginger Oatmeal Cookies
LowFat Gingerbread Biscotti
Easy Slow Cooker Gingerbread
Soft Molasses Cookies

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