Post by wilderness on Nov 16, 2018 12:28:39 GMT -5
Mom's Heirloom Rolled Molasses Cookies-Birdy
From Mom's friend Mrs. Barry
Servings: 32 or more
Yield: 2-3 dozen depending on size
2 cups light molasses
1 1/4 cups lard, melted (do not substitute Crisco, butter or margarine)
4 tsp. baking soda (not baking powder)
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. granulated sugar, optional
1 egg, beaten
5 - 5 1/2 cups all purpose-flour (to make a stiff batter)
Oven Temperature: 375°F
Mix molasses and melted lard. Dissolve baking soda in 1/2 cup of hot water and add to bowl.
Whisk ginger, salt, and the beaten egg into mixture.
Stir in flour by hand with a wooden spoon until you get a stiff batter--not a dough. It should be too loose to roll out as it is. It will stiffen as it chills. This keeps the cookies moist and tender. Adding too much flour at this point will make them dry.
Chill in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will have stiffened up. Roll out part of the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. This is a guess. The recipe never says exactly because as a cookie baker you're supposed to know! Keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator while you are working. It is not recommended that you make these on a hot summer day--they will soften too fast and you will need too much flour to handle them. That would make them dry.
Mom used a large round cookie cutter--maybe 3-4". They were big cookies and thick, moist and tender if there wasn't too much flour added.
Preheat oven to 375°. Bake cut cookies until just set, about 10-12 min. Touch the center with your finger--it should just spring back when done. Do not over bake--it's easy to do because they are a dark color already. They should not be browned around the edges.
I suggest baking just one to get the timing while the rest wait in the refrigerator. With all the times that Mom made these, she often did this if she hadn’t made them in a while. Getting the dough right takes a little bit of practice.
From Mom's friend Mrs. Barry
Servings: 32 or more
Yield: 2-3 dozen depending on size
2 cups light molasses
1 1/4 cups lard, melted (do not substitute Crisco, butter or margarine)
4 tsp. baking soda (not baking powder)
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. granulated sugar, optional
1 egg, beaten
5 - 5 1/2 cups all purpose-flour (to make a stiff batter)
Oven Temperature: 375°F
Mix molasses and melted lard. Dissolve baking soda in 1/2 cup of hot water and add to bowl.
Whisk ginger, salt, and the beaten egg into mixture.
Stir in flour by hand with a wooden spoon until you get a stiff batter--not a dough. It should be too loose to roll out as it is. It will stiffen as it chills. This keeps the cookies moist and tender. Adding too much flour at this point will make them dry.
Chill in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will have stiffened up. Roll out part of the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. This is a guess. The recipe never says exactly because as a cookie baker you're supposed to know! Keep the rest of the dough in the refrigerator while you are working. It is not recommended that you make these on a hot summer day--they will soften too fast and you will need too much flour to handle them. That would make them dry.
Mom used a large round cookie cutter--maybe 3-4". They were big cookies and thick, moist and tender if there wasn't too much flour added.
Preheat oven to 375°. Bake cut cookies until just set, about 10-12 min. Touch the center with your finger--it should just spring back when done. Do not over bake--it's easy to do because they are a dark color already. They should not be browned around the edges.
I suggest baking just one to get the timing while the rest wait in the refrigerator. With all the times that Mom made these, she often did this if she hadn’t made them in a while. Getting the dough right takes a little bit of practice.
Cool on a rack. Well-wrapped, these freeze well.
NOTE: I should add that the flour should be added gradually. Also, it might be a good idea the first time you make them to hold back a few tablespoons of flour until you get a feel for the "batter". Too loose, they won't hold together and will break in your hand. Too firm, they will not be a lovely light texture but firmer and dry. That's why a test cookie is a good idea--you can always take notes for the next time.
Birdy
Birdy
