Yummy Molasses Cookie Recipe
Chewy molasses cookies are good for any occasion or all times of the day. Their gingerly, spicy and raw sugary taste is admired by all age groups around the world. Personally, I have a greater bond with these as my mom used to make these quit frequently as my grand mother had done for her. In fact, there is another story. Back in my grandparents’ time having a refrigerator was a big deal around the world. My grandmother who used to make molasses cookies often and had experimented freezing the dough for later use which founded to be successful. She always speaks of it as a discovery almost each time we have these for tea times when she’s around. In a way, it is kind big deal back then. These cookies and her recipe are kind of an unforgettable part of my family.
How to Make Best Molasses Cookies
by Robin Nalaka Daundaratne
Molasses cookies can be taken as a modified variety of gingerbread cookies with addition of molasses and optional spices giving its unique texture and taste. Remember, your cookies should be with a crunchy boarder and a chewy center along with signature cracks on top under the coated sugar layer. If you have time, please refer to what make cookies chewy section to get a better understanding about factors affecting your expected texture. Ok, without further due, lets get on to our recipe and I will discuss important points while in progress.
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What you need to gather
Ingredient Amount
Pastry flour 650g
(You can also use all-purpose flour)
Butter/shortening 350g
Molasses 270g
Brown sugar 520g
Whole eggs 1
Cinnamon powder 1tsp
Ginger powder 1tsp
Nutmeg finely shaved or powder ¼ tsp
Cloves (ground) ** ½ tsp
Ground cardamom ** ½ tsp
(optional)
White granular sugar for glazing around a ½ -1 cup
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** While you can simply use commercially ground cloves and cardamom, let me tell you a magic touch you can give by making your own spices with an added step. Simply, pan roast some whole cloves and cardamom at medium heat by frequently spooning to prevent burning. Continue until the cardamom shells are medium brown and cloves’ skin started to slightly shrink and form greyish patches on them due to roasting. By now, you will be amazed by the mesmerizing fragrance of these two partying spices. Now, take them off the pan and let them cool down before you grind them using a spice/coffee grinder or a manual pestle and a mortar. Trust, just by roasting these two mates, you are going to make your cookie tastier.
Baking Directions of Best Molasses Cookies
by Nalaka Daundaratne
Step 1
Start creaming to butter, molasses and sugar at medium speed using your paddle hook. Occasionally, stop the mixer and scrape-in the cream coated on wall and continue for until ingredients are well mixed. If you are hand mixing, use a medium sized whisk at this stage
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Step 2
Now, add the whole egg and continue beating at medium speed until somewhat puffier batter is formed. Note that due to the thick viscosity of molasses we are not expecting a super puffy consistency
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Step 3
Time to sift-in all the dry ingredients including the spices. Mix at a slower speed until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are not using an electric mixer, now it is time to shift from the whisk to a medium sized spatula. Either way, you will end up with a medium soft cookie dough.
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Forming your cookies
Step 4
Take the dough onto your working surface and roll it into a cylinder of about 4-5cm in diameter. Take your dough cutter or a sharp knife and cut the cylinder into coins of about 1cm in thickness. Then, form balls out of each slice and roll them in sugar. Personally, I use fine granulated sugar. However, you can also glaze with coarse sugar as well
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Step 5
Place the dough balls on the parchment-lined baking and flatten them slightly with a gentle pressure with fingers. Make sure to leave at least 1inch of space around each cookie to prevent touching each other when baking
Baking instructions:
Pre-heat your oven to 375o F or 190oC and bake for around 10-12 minutes
Once you take the tray out, leave aside to cool down at least for 40 minutes or until reach the room temperature for you to feel the final texture of your hard work
How to keep away your Molasses Cookies for later use
by Robin Nalaka Daundaratne
Freezing your dough
As with almost all other cookies doughs of BakingTreats, freezing properly freezing your left-over or additionally made dough can extend the reusability up to 5 months. If you have the technology and supplies to vacuum pack in compatible bags or containers, obviously can preserve the dough up to 8 months. You can proceed to freezing at step4-5 either as the rolled cylinder or formed dough balls. Just make sure you first place them in the refrigerator to set properly for at least 90 minutes before sealing and transferring to freezer
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Preserving baked cookies
Once the cookies are have reached the room temp, place them in sealed container or zip-tight bags. You can keep the outside for up to 3 days and no more than 5 days in fridge.
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