Molasses Cookies

I read a wide variety of food blogs on a daily basis (an addictive habit, I must admit). When I found out that Susan (at FoodBlogga) was hosting a blog event called Eat Christmas Cookies, I decided that I had to make something. Seemed too fun to pass up. And I wanted to bake the most amazing cookie. I thought of making the rosemary-mint cookies I read about in the LA Times, or maybe something delicate with lots of icing detail. Or perhaps a rolled cookie that would photograph well. To be honest, a million different "impress the masses" recipes were floating around in that brain of mine.

I pondered it for awhile, but it was yesterday when the perfect recipe finally came to me: the molasses cookie. Yup, the very same molasses cookie that everyone makes this time of year. No ma'am, no gourmet twist. No icing, no fancy cookie cutting action. Nothing out of the ordinary, just my regular old recipe. But hear me out.

Yesterday was a terrible day. Work was quite stressful and I was exhausted after a very long day at the office. And yet still behind on my deadlines, ugh. The house was a mess, I still had loads to do before the weekend, and it was dark and cold outside. An icky day that was turning into a yucky evening as well. However: I put aside the cleaning, the dinner-making, the million other chores. Instead, I put on some Christmas music, rolled up my sleeves, and started pawing through the cabinets for my jar of molasses. Days like this can almost be salvaged by the presence of warm molasses cookies.

I've always loved the taste of ginger and molasses together, the spicy and sweet combination. Gingerbread cake, bars, gingersnap cookies, I enjoy them all. I even have a great recipe for gingerbread waffles that I'm dying to try this winter. But most of all, I love the molasses cookie. Soft and chewy with crispy edges and a nice sparkly coating of sugar. My mother always imprinted hers with wooden cookie press, so they came out of the oven with a pretty concentric-circle pattern.

Molasses cookies are definitely a family favorite, and probably why I find them so comforting. I try to make these as close as possible to my Mom's recipe, although I don't have that fancy schmancy cookie press she uses. I tend to add an extra bit of ginger (spicy spicy spicy!) and I like to roll my cookies in raw sugar – just a bit more glittery and festive that way, methinks.

So here's my entry, my favoritest cookie of them all: the humble molasses cookie. A basic, uncomplicated, and yet oh so soothing and homey recipe. Totally satisfying. There's a reason this cookie is a Christmas classic, my friends. And that's why I went personal for my entry instead of flashy.

Enjoy!

Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. ginger

¾ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. allspice

¾ c. shortening

½ c. dark brown sugar

½ c. granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. molasses

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a medium bowl, sift and mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugars, until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Roll dough into small balls, and roll balls in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake 11-13 minutes, then cool on racks. NOTE: be careful not to overbake! They are done when the centers are still soft and puffy.