This molasses cookie recipe goes back four generations in my husband's family. So, by rounding out the years, I figure this recipe was written in the late 1800s or early 1900s by Laura Bell Gossett. It is a straightforward recipe with just enough detail to make it very interesting. I was a little nervous about the amount of flour to use, but this will make it fun. I have tried my best to make these cookies as close to what Laura had made as I possibly could.
These molasses cookies are soft and flavorful—no added spices, just plain old-fashioned molasses cookies.
The Origin of Our Kentucky Molasses Cookies
My husband's great-grandmother Laura Bell Gossett wrote the recipe on this paper. It now resides in a frame and hangs on a wall in my kitchen. On the back of the frame, there is a note about Laura writing the recipe, and his grandmother Hattie Vaughn Gossett Thompson, added the notation about the Brer Rabbit brand of molasses used for the cookie.
I have looked at this recipe a hundred times and finally decided to attempt to make these cookies.
Ingredients Needed For My Molasses Cookies
- 1 cup Sugar white
- ½ cup Crisco shortening
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons Baking soda
- 1 cup Molasses Brer Rabbit Full Flavor
- 1 Egg
- 4-⅔ cups All-purpose flour
How to Make Soft Molasses Cookies
These are easy cookies to mix. First, add the sugar and shortening and mix until the sugar is incorporated. Next, add the buttermilk, molasses, egg, and baking soda, mixing until you cannot see any egg left.
Now comes the tricky part! The recipe says to add flour to make a stiff dough. I added 4-⅔ cups, and it was still a soft cookie dough but tasted good. I did put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Depending on whether you are weighing your flour or measuring, you can adjust the amount of flour. You want the scoop of cookie dough to hold its shape on the parchment-lined sheet pan.
Since these cookies spread some when they bake, I only added ten scoops to each sheet pan. I used the oven temperature of 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and baked for 12-14 minutes. Of course, they came out great and so soft in the middle.
To finish them off, I sprinkle a little white sugar on top. Enjoy!
Storage
Because there is a lot of liquid in this cookie, you will want to store them in any container that does not seal. It is a perfect time to add cookies to your pretty cookie jar with a loose top. I use a Tupperware type of container that you can just lay the lid on the top but do not seal. If they get too soft, leave the cover off for a while.
Other Cookies To Try
Recipe
Kentucky Molasses Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
- ½ cup (102.5 g) Crisco shortening
- 1 cup (240 g) Buttermilk
- 1 cup (337 g) Molasses Brer Rabbit Full Flavor
- 1 (1) Egg
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Baking soda
- 4 ⅔ cups (583.33 g) All-purpose flour
Instructions
- Weigh or measure sugar and add it to the mixer bowl along with the Crisco shortening. Mix till the sugar is combined into the shortening. Next, add the buttermilk, molasses, egg, and baking soda into the bowl. When mixing, you will see tiny little white pieces in the liquid; this is the shortening and is normal.
- Add about a quarter of the flour at a time. If it is still too soft to scoop and hold its shape add another ⅓ cup of flour. Then, chill for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Scoop (medium-size cookie scooper) 10 to 12 mounds onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan and bake for 12-14 minutes. Once baked, leave on the pan for a minute or two before moving to a rack to finish cooling.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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