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Simple Molasses Cookie Recipe

October 29, 2021 By Tatanisha Worthey
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Ma was busy all day long, cooking good things for Christmas. One morning she boiled molasses and sugar together until they made a thick syrup, and Pa brought in two pans of clean, white snow from outdoors. Laura and Mary each had a pan, and Pa and Ma showed them how to pour the dark syrup in little streams on to the snow. They made circles, and curlicues, and squiggledy things, and these hardened at once and were candy. Laura and Mary might eat one piece each, but the rest was saved for Christmas Day.

Little House in the Big Woods


Imagine the Ingalls’ little house in the big woods near Pepin, Wisconsin in the early 1870s and the rustic setting of Caroline Ingalls’ kitchen. Molasses was heralded as both a sweetener and coveted for its medicinal properties. Molasses cookies gained popularity in the mid-1900s, and maybe Ma learned of the recipe by way of the Appledore Cookbook, circa 1872. I like to imagine Laura and Mary helping Ma bake molasses cookies for the first time. The thrill of measuring the ingredients and baking the cookies in a wood-fired stove while the wind howled outside. And finally, their faces as the girls taste the delicious treat of fresh-baked cookies, relishing every bite.

When I first read Little House in the Big Woods as a young girl, I was fascinated with how you could make candy with snow and molasses. Back in Laura’s day, they had to think outside of the box when it came to making candy and cookies. You wouldn’t find coconut sitting on a shelf in Mr. Oleson’s store. However, Ma and Pa came up with many creative ways to introduce their girls to those sweet and memorable treats.

We’re sharing a simple molasses cookie recipe, adapted from Tori Avery’s kitchen.

Simple Molasses Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

2 ½ c rolled oats
⅓ c unsalted butter softened + 1 tbsp for greasing the pan
⅓ c granulated sugar
1 egg
½ c molasses
1 c all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Brush the cookie sheet with one tablespoon of softened butter.

In a medium mixing bowl, use a wire whisk to cream together the butter and the sugar. Then beat one egg into the creamed mix.

Then beat in the molasses and the pure vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, spices, baking powder, and baking soda) to another mixing bowl.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Drop one heaping tablespoon for each cookie on the cookie sheet. If using a small cookie sheet, you will be able to bake six cookies. You should be able to bake twelve cookies at a time on a large cookie sheet.

Place the cookies into a preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool.

This recipe would be great to try for the upcoming holidays or while enjoying a long winter break. Either way, if you’re a Little House on the Prairie fan, add this recipe idea to your bucket list.

Be sure to check out this easy recipe for popcorn balls using molasses.

Remember to subscribe to the free Little House on the Prairie newsletter for more inspired recipes and gift ideas.

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Tatanisha Worthey

Tatanisha plays a Super-Fun Mom to three active & handsome boys. A Foodie at heart and Wife to an awesome Chef. When she's not blogging about ways to save money or about autism, she loves to travel and try new food. You can find her creating new tablescapes over at A Worthey Read, as well as saving you money on A Mitten Full of Savings.
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Latest posts by Tatanisha Worthey (see all)

  • Little House on the Prairie Inspired Christmas Tablescape - November 22, 2022
  • Simple Molasses Cookie Recipe - October 29, 2021
  • Sweet Potato and Root Vegetable Bake - October 25, 2021

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: cookies, oatmeal, molasses, recipe, recipes

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Comments

  1. MARIA says

    October 8, 2022 at 8:19 am

    Can I freeze the formed cookies and bake them from frozen?

    Reply
  2. E says

    February 17, 2022 at 10:40 am

    Look’s delicious! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  3. Kat grassell says

    December 17, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Molasses is plenty if flavoring. Vanillas wasn’t easy to come by either. I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t used. Our molasses was stored in barn for use on poor cow hay to add iron and improve the flavor. That’s when we’d bring in a cupful after chores to make cookies or molasses taffy.

    Reply
  4. Melanie says

    November 28, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    How much vanilla is added please

    Reply
    • Amanda Knapper says

      December 3, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      1 tbsp pure vanilla extract!

      Reply
  5. Nicole Alessi says

    November 28, 2021 at 9:27 am

    The ingredients don’t list vanilla extract but the instruction do. Is there supposed to be vanilla in the recipe and how much?

    Reply
    • Amanda Knapper says

      December 3, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      1 tbsp pure vanilla extract!

      Reply
    • Jessica says

      December 17, 2021 at 10:52 am

      Measure with your heart!!!

      Reply
  6. Patricia says

    November 27, 2021 at 12:38 pm

    They look so good, Am going to try them this Holiday Season

    Reply
  7. Joyce says

    November 26, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    I’m going to make these as part of my Christmas baking

    Reply

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