Grandma Geri's Molasses Cookies

Fall is in the air and there is nothing like a soft, classic old-fashioned molasses cookie. I thought I would make my Grandma Belding's recipe that I scribbled down in my twelve-year-old hand, some 35 years ago. I stood by her side and fantically tried to keep up as she expertly mixed the ingredients and then added the flour a little at a time until it was just the right texture to dollop a "glob" onto her open, flour-covered plam to shape the perfect cookies.

As I was mixing up this batch, I was already thinking of ways to make it my own, changes, updates, whatever you want to call it. But when I tasted the first one, all the memories came rushing back. These needs no changes, no updates. The only concession t the "future" here is measuring the amount of flour for convenience. And, while I did "shape" the first half in Grandma's time-proven method, I opted to use a 2" scoop for the other half. While the classis method did yield a slightly fluffier cookie, the scoop was much less messy...

In my mind these are the quintessential molasses cookie.

I hope you enjoy them too.

Grandma Geri’s Molasses Cookies (makes 28 cookies)

1 cup Crisco

2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 365 degrees F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down as necessary. Add molasses.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt & spices.

Add flour in thirds to creamed mixture and stir until smooth between each addition.

Shape cookies using a 2” scoop, leveled, place on leveled side down on baking sheet 2” apart.

Bake 15 minutes until lightly brown on edges.

Remove pan to baking sheet and let cool 2 minutes. Remove cookies to rack.