Molasses Cookies

Oh, molasses cookies. I had my first taste of these over the holidays and got completely addicted. But when I made them today? The horror! They did not turn out the same at all. I think I know why - I used white sugar instead of brown sugar. So what exactly does it mean for the cookies that I used white sugar instead of brown sugar? Basically, they're not nearly so soft and chewy as they should be. Instead, they are crisp. Still taste fine, sure, but they are crisp (and lighter in color). And I don't like my cookies crisp. However, I didn't want to make a whole 'nother batch because these produce quite a few cookies. Oh well, I will pawn them off on people.

Well, at least they look good.

Rather than give you the recipe that I used, I'm going to give you the recipe that I think you should use, should you decide to make these. The recipe also calls for ginger, which I did not have, but I don't think it's strictly necessary. Is it strange that I had cloves, but not ginger? I must've needed cloves for some other recipe, that's the only explanation I have for that.

Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup Crisco vegetable shortening

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mix together the vegetable shortening, sugar, molasses and egg. Once those are thoroughly mixed, blend in the rest of the dry ingredients.

Roll into small balls, then roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. DO NOT flatten. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Keep in mind, yours should look darker than this since you will be using brown sugar.

After it's all mixed together.

All rolled in sugar and ready to go. You can see these fit a lot to a sheet.

Fresh out of the oven.

So I got a little artsy with the photos this time. So what.

Anyway, these are really yummy and, just as a warning, kind of addictive. Sort of like Pringles, once you pop (one in your mouth), you can't stop. They are especially good with a pumpkin dip. I didn't have the supplies to make any, but here is the recipe if you want to try it out.

Pumpkin Dip

2 cups confectioner's sugar (aka powdered sugar)
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
(or you can substitute 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon & ginger)

Blend together until smooth.

Trust me, it's delicious. And also good with things other than these cookies, like apple slices.