Alternative:Molasses Cookies

| Cuisine of the United States

These cookies can be considered gingerbread cookies, and originally were named as such. They resemble the molasses cookies made by Archway; they use relatively little ginger and are thus not as spicy hot as gingerbread cookies from many other recipes. They are usually somewhat soft and not at all gooey, being halfway between crumbly and chewy. They are generally not crisp, but can be slightly crisp if thoroughly cooked. The recipe works for both drop cookies and rolled cookies, with a bit of adjustment to the amount of flour.

The known history of this recipe starts from eavesdropping on a party-line telephone during the early 1900s. The age of this recipe appears to explain many odd features. At the time, baking powder did not exist. Thus this recipe uses baking soda, with sour milk (now created via vinegar, so don't panic) as the acid. Ginger would have been expensive. The recipe originally called for an undefined amount of flour that turned out to be around 8 cups (1/2 gallon), which would feed a family of a dozen or so. The recipe has been cut in half for the benefit of less-productive parents.

Ingredients

Molasses cookies made from this recipe.

• 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup milk (minus 1/2 tablespoon for the vinegar)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening (see variation below if substitution is desired)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup molasses
• 4 cup flour (approximate upper limit; see instructions below)
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• toppings: walnuts, raisins, etc.

Procedure

In progress: the drop variety, with about 3c flour total, being pressed with a sugar-covered clay stamp.

1. Grease some cookie sheets.
2. Prepare 3 mixtures:
   • the vinegar, plus enough milk to make 1/2 cup (alternately, use real sour milk)
   • the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and 2.5 cups (not all 4 cups) of flour
   • the sugar and shortening creamed together, then also adding in the egg and molasses (use a large bowl)
3. To the sugar+shortening+egg+molasses mixture, alternately mix in small amounts of the other two mixtures until everything is in one bowl. Mix this well.
4. Bit by bit, mix in more flour as needed. For drop cookies, you might not add any more. For rolled cookies produced without refrigeration, you are likely to need an extra 1.5 cup for a total of 4 cups. Refrigeration can reduce this slightly.
5. Form the cookies
   • If making drop cookies, plop some batter onto a cookie sheet. Using a bit of sugar to prevent sticking, squish the cookie with a glass. Push some walnut pieces into the top of the cookie.
   • If making rolled cookies, you may wish to refrigerate the batter. Plop a pint-sized blob of batter onto a flour-dusted surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour as you squish it down, then roll it out. A cold marble rolling pin is suggested. Cut out shapes, then place them on the cookie sheet. The unused dough may be put back into the mix; note that this increases the proportion of flour.
6. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F

Variation

Butter seems to work OK in place of the shortening, with a bit of heating to soften it up. In a 1-pound package with 4 sticks, 1 stick is about 1/2 cup. Lard should be an even better substitute.