Molasses Cookies

Molasses cookies are a Christmas tradition at my house.  The original recipe was passed down to me from my grandmother and is my father's favorite cookie.  I have been making these with my mother since I was a child.  They were one of the first cookies I made on my own as a pre-teen.  

Now many years later my girls love making them with me.  Their favorite part is rolling the cookie dough balls in the sugar.

The only change I have made from my grandmother's recipe is substituting palm oil shortening for soybean oil shortening (aka Crisco) to eliminate GMO's.

I strongly recommend that you double to recipe as these will disappear fast!


1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening (Spectrum palm oil shortening)
4 TBS molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger 
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Using a stand mixer, cream together sugar and shortening.

Add in molasses and egg.  Then blend well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Combine dry and wet mixture.  

Using a kitchen scoop or your hands, make 1 inch balls of dough.

Roll each ball in sugar until well coated.  Please on cookie sheet.  Do not flatten.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.