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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Kentucky Molasses Cookies

    Published: Nov 20, 2021 · Updated: Oct 14, 2024 · by Barbara · This post may contain links on which I could make a small commission if an item is purchased · Leave a Comment

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    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.

    White bowl with finished molasses cookies stacked in it.

    These molasses cookies are soft and flavorful—no added spices, just plain old-fashioned molasses cookies.

    The Origin of Our Kentucky Molasses Cookies

    Kentucky Molasses Cookies recipe front that Laura Bell Gossett wrote.
    Front of Recipe in a Picture Frame

    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.

    Kentucky Molasses Cookies recipe back saying Laura Bell Gossett wrote the recipe.
    Handwritten on the Back of the Picture Frame

    I have looked at this recipe a hundred times and finally attempted to make these cookies.

    Ingredients Needed For My Molasses Cookies

    Image of the ingredients for making Kentucky 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.

    Molasses cookie dough mixed in a mixer bowl.

    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.

    Ten molasses cookie mounds on a parchment-lined before baking.

    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.

    Finished molasses cookie resting on sheet pan before moving to cooling rack.

    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.

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    Recipe

    White bowl with finished molasses cookies stacked in it.
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    Kentucky Molasses Cookies

    Barbara Hall
    These molasses cookies with an old-fashion taste are simple and easy to make. You and your family will love the soft cookie with that perfect amount of molasses taste.
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    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Bake Time 52 minutes mins
    Chill 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 34 cookies
    Calories 102 kcal

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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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 162mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 19IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Barb the owner of my cookie journey head shot.

    Hi, I'm Barbara Hall, the baker and photographer behind My Cookie Journey, a blog devoted to creating and sharing unique cookie recipes. A retired IT pro, I now spend my day's baking, styling, and snapping photos of cookies that have been featured in multiple regional magazines.

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