Old-fashioned Molasses Cookies
My daughters and I made these cookies yesterday and boy did they turn out well! I mean, WOW!
Sarah was hungry for molasses cookies (she has the most unique tastes in this family and is always interested in something offbeat - she eats the peelings when I peel an apple for Peter)
Anyway, we had to stop for some other things at the grocery so I picked up some molasses and we got busy on this. I’m not sure I have ever had a batch of cookies turn out so beautifully and perfectly. The three of us must make quite a team. Actually, I should say the four of us, as Peter helped roll the balls of dough in sugar.
I always like to give credit where it is due — I have a note on this handwritten recipe card that says “Taste of Home adaptation.” In my world, that means either I or someone else made a small change or two to a recipe we saw in Taste of Home magazine. If you don’t get Taste of Home, give it a try - lots of great tips and recipes in every issue.
Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies
makes — (about 3 dozen?) not enough for us — consider doubling this recipe!
3/4 c. butter, room temperature
1/4 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. dark molasses
2 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/3 c. flour
white sugar
First of all, understand that this is one of those doughs that needs to be chilled, so don’t expect to be eating cookies ten minutes after you begin. Plan on mixing the dough in the morning and baking in the afternoon.
Start off by creaming the butter, shortening, and brown sugar together with your mixer. Add the egg and mix it in. Next add the molasses and milk and work it all together.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients; the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour. You can add a 1/2 teaspoon of cloves if you like. I didn’t have any and don’t care for cloves, so I left them out.
Now combine the two — the wet mixture and the dry mixture until all of the flour is incorporated. Cover and refrigerate.
After at least a couple of hours, get ready to bake — Set your oven to 375. Place some white sugar in a shallow bowl, and get a helper to start rolling the dough into balls. Use about a Tablespoon or so of dough for each cookie. In the palm of your hand, work into a ball and then toss in the white sugar. Place this on the cookie sheet or baking stone. (There is no need to press these down, they will flatten and spread out perfectly on their own.)
Bake for 7 minutes, take them out when they are just starting to brown but still look a little underdone.
This recipe makes lovely, soft cookies that are perfect for dipping in milk. Forget the Oreos!
Enjoy…
Add comment June 1st, 2007