Grandma Nelson's Molasses Cookies

My grandmother was a pretty typical working-class woman of her era. She worked hard, raised her family, wasn't ostentatious, and basically led a rather quiet life. One thing my grandmother did was have cookies available whenever her grandchildren came for a visit. It never failed that she would have at least 3 or 4 varieties to choose from; each variety in its own round tin and each layer of cookies separated by wax paper. By far, my favorite cookie that she made was her molasses cookies. They were just perfect and wonderful in every way. They are now my go-to cookie and have become Eric's favorite, as well. I have no idea where the recipe came from, but because she's the one I got the recipe from, she gets credit for it.

Yesterday, Annika and I pulled out the handy-dandy Kitchen Aid (something my grandmother amazingly did without) and whipped up a batch of Grandma's cookies. They were perfectly tasty in every way. Grandma would be proud!

Grandma's Molasses Cookies
2 c. flour
3/4 c. shortening
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

Sift dry ingredients. (I don't do this, but the original recipe says to.) Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses. Mix well. Fold in dry ingredients. Chill 1 hours (covered). Form into small balls (approximately the size of a quarter). Roll in a dish of white sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment (this is my own method, not Grandma's). Bake at 350 F (original recipe says 375 F, but I prefer the cooler temp to keep the cookies from getting too crispy) for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire cooling rack.

A few notes: If you like chewy cookies, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra shortening and slightly underbake the cookies (definitely pull them out of the oven after 10 mintutes). Also, allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack; if you don't wait, the cookies may break.

Cookie perfection! Don't you want to take a bite??


Mmmm.... yup It's goooood!


The second and third bites were just as tasty!!