A holiday celebration just isn’t complete without some delicious seasonal cookies. And, of course Santa is expecting to be served a few when he stops by. The following cookie recipe is a favorite from my own childhood. My maternal grandmother baked these and I have fond memories of her shipping them, in a shoebox, to me in college. My roommate’s boyfriend (who is a Culinary Institute of America grad, btw:) loved these cookies so much, he would eat almost the entire box in one sitting.
I now bake these crispy crinkles with my own kiddos. If you love the taste of gingerbread but are looking for a more kid-friendly version, then this recipe for crisp molasses cookies should fit the bill. Rolled in a bit of sugar, these little guys are a perfect balance of sweet and spice.
Ingredients:
2 c all purpose flour
1 c granulated sugar, plus additional for shaping and rolling cookies
¾ c vegetable shortening, softened
1 large egg
¼ c molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
Directions:
- Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Cream together shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Beat in egg, flour, molasses, soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
- Put 3 tbsp of sugar into small bowl. Form level tablespoons of dough into balls, roll in sugar and arrange about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten balls with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.
- Bake cookies in batches, 8 to 10 minutes per batch.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Tips: If you prefer your molasses cookies a little softer, you can substitute unsalted butter for the vegetable shortening. Vary the ratio of butter to vegetable shortening to get the desired softness or crispness of the cookie. Also, I substitute raw sugar for granulated sugar to roll the cookie balls in before baking. It adds texture and it looks great.
Do you have a favorite childhood cookie recipe that you now bake with your kids?
