Indulge in the sweet and comforting flavors of Moravian Molasses Cookies, a delightful treat with a rich history dating back to the 18th century. Originating from the Moravian community in North Carolina, these cookies have become a beloved delicacy enjoyed by people of all ages. With a chewy texture, a hint of spice, and a molasses-infused sweetness, Moravian Molasses Cookies are a perfect accompaniment to a warm cup of tea or coffee. This article presents a collection of two delectable recipes for Moravian Molasses Cookies: a traditional recipe that stays true to the original, and a modern twist that incorporates the unique flavors of orange and ginger. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the secrets behind these timeless cookies.
Let's cook with our recipes!
MORAVIAN MOLASSES COOKIES
Thin and crispy Moravian Molasses cookies. Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart's Christmas. Makes 7-8 dozen 2 1/2" cookies. (or more)
Provided by Cynthia
Categories Dessert
Time 12h30m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and molasses. Heat until brown sugar is dissolved.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and stir into the molasses mixture. The mixture will bubble up. Remove from heat.
- Sift the flour and spices together and gradually add to the saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon until well incorporated. Form the dough into a rectangle, wrap and let set overnight in refrigerator.
- The next day, remove from fridge and allow to soften, until easy to roll, about 15 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees F. and line baking sheets with parchment or silpat baking sheets.
- On a floured board, roll small pieces of dough as thin as possible. (dough should be thin enough to see one's hand through it.) Cut with cookie cutter and set 1" apart on baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
MORAVIAN SPICE COOKIE WAFERS (UNITED STATES)
This cookie comes to us from North Carolina by way of Central Europe; it's a classic, peppery spice cookie brought to the U.S. by Moravians in the 1700s. The key to this cookie is rolling it super-thin to get that characteristic snap; it's a lot easier to roll it that thin between waxed paper. If you don't have the patience, go thicker, for chewy gingerbread-style cookies. Either way, these cookies would be fantastic on your holiday table.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 2h10m
Yield about 5 dozen wafers
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and mustard together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until just combined and lightly fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg yolk. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed until dough is just combined and still crumbly, about 3 minutes. Give dough a few turns with a spatula to bring together.
- Lay out wax paper on a clean work surface and put about 1/3 of the batter on top. Lightly press down and top with another sheet of wax paper. Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently pat into a rectangle. Roll out with a rolling pin until dough is as thin as possible without breaking, no thicker than 1/16 inch thick. This is the key to these cookies: they really can't be too thin. Gently peel back the layer of waxed paper and then replace it loosely.
- Transfer rolled batter to a flat baking sheet and freeze until firm and can easily be peeled away from the waxed paper, about 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cut dough using a small (2- to 3-inch) fluted round cookie cutter and return to the freezer for 15 minutes to set. Transfer frozen cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until crisp and lightly, evenly colored (but not brown), about 10 minutes.
MORAVIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES
A very large recipe for gingerbread-molasses-type Christmas cookies from the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania area. A full batch makes more than 12 dozen. With medium cookie cutters, a quarter recipe made 74 cookies.
Provided by ARBethany
Categories Desserts Cookies International Cookie Recipes American Cookie Recipes
Time 1h40m
Yield 144
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Sift flour, cinnamon, and ginger together in a large bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Work lard and butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender.
- Combine vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl; mix to dissolve. Add mixture to the flour mixture in the bowl. Add molasses and mix thoroughly. Place dough in the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Roll dough out very thin on a floured surface. Cut into shapes using fancy cookie cutters.
- Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 89 calories, Carbohydrate 15.5 g, Cholesterol 4.7 mg, Fat 2.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 17.9 mg, Sugar 8.4 g
CHEWY GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES
Molasses adds sweetness to these cookies and gives chewiness to every bite. Eat at least one warm right off the cooling rack with a tumbler of cold milk.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 15m
Yield Makes: about 2 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until well combined, about 3 minutes. Add the molasses and egg and beat until lighter in color, about 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until well blended.
- Using a tablespoon, form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place each ball 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden and crackled, 12 to 15 minutes; the cookies will still be a little soft. Baking these in 3 batches one sheet at a time gets you the nice, crackly top. The second sheet of cookies can stay on the counter until ready to bake. Form the remaining dough, roll the balls in sugar and place on the now cooled first baking sheet. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then remove to a rack to cool completely.
MORAVIAN MOLASSES COOKIES
This recipe makes an enormous quantity of cookies--up to 8 pounds. Read through all the instructions before attempting it.
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Yield About 7 or 8 pounds of cookies
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Melt the margarine and lard together and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- Put the molasses in a very large and heavy smooth-bottomed pot. Stir in the cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and the brown sugar. Turn to medium-high and start stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is warm, the sugar has dissolved, and all the spices are incorporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Do NOT bring it to a boil.
- Put the salt and soda in a cup or small bowl and mix it with about 3 tablespoons flour in a cup. Add that to the molasses mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, mashing any particles of soda against the side of the pot so that every bit is incorporated.
- Pour in the cooled margarine and lard, and beat with a wooden spoon until completely blended. Allow the whole mixture to cool before adding the flour, or the dough will absorb more flour. Add about one-third of the flour mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the second third of flour and continue to mix.
- Take the remaining third of flour and sprinkle a work surface thickly with some of it. Scrape all the dough out onto the floured surface, and begin to knead, flouring your hands frequently while you incorporate the remaining flour.
- When the dough has become stiff and firm and far less sticky, roll it into a long tube and cut it into eight pieces, which will weigh roughly one pound each. Shape each ball into a disk, slapping the surface with your hands to smooth it (you'll see the lard rise to the surface, making each disk kind of shiny).
- Put four disks of dough in each of two large plastic bags and seal. Allow to sit overnight on the countertop. The dough will swell some and the spice flavors will mellow and blend.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Cover a pastry or rolling board (or a square piece of plywood) with bleached muslin that's been washed several times, tacking it tightly around the edges. Flour the muslin and rub the flour into the cloth to coat it deeply. Roll the cookies as thin as possible, 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch. Cut with any cookie cutter you like, using tiny cutters such as hearts or circles to cut out little cookies in the spaces between larger cookies. (You can also gather the scraps and reroll, but these cookies won't be as tender.)
- Lift the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Watch them, and don't let the cookies brown around the edges. Allow to cool on the pan for several minutes before lifting them onto cooling racks. As soon as they're completely cool, pack and store in an airtight container. If you're using cookie tins, seal the lid of the tin with masking tape. Any air creeping in will cause the cookies to soften.
MORAVIAN SPICE COOKIES
These cookies are hailed to be the "worlds thinnest cookies".;or so says the history of cookies book. These cookies have ingredients you would not expect to find in cookies , such as mustard and pepper- I know who would have thought. They are also frozen between the rolling and the preparation . This recipe makes a lot of...
Provided by Pat Duran
Categories Cookies
Time 55m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 1. In a large bowl beat together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg yolk and beat well until combine.
- 2. In another bowl combine the flour and all remaining ingredients,blend well and add to the molasses mixture in small amounts at a time. Dough will be loose and crumbly. Gently press dough to make a soft mound then take 1/3 of the dough and place on a piece of parchment paper;pat into a rectangle. Place another piece of paper on top and roll as thin as possible (1/16-inch thick). Repeat with remaining dough.
- 3. Gently peel back top paper,replace paper and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer remove top paper and cut cookies with a 2-inch round or other cookie cutter. Place cookie on a clean piece of parchment paper on cookie sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
- 4. Heat oven to 325^. Remove cookies from freezer ; sprinkle tops with cinnamon/sugar if desired. Bake for 10 minutes. Yes that is the correct time. But check on them as ovens bake differently. They should be brown but not to dark- this depends on if you used light or dark molasses and brown sugar. If you do not cinnamon/sugar the tops. You can frost with a glaze when cooled.
- 5. Glaze: 1 c. sifted powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring(extract) 1 1/2 Tablespoons water as needed (milk will make the frosting too soft Blend sugar,salt and flavoring, add water to desired spreading consistency.
MORAVIAN GINGER COOKIES II
These are lower in fat than most cookies, but still delicious! Try using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, if you wish.
Provided by JJOHN32
Categories Desserts Cookies Spice Cookie Recipes
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Mix molasses, shortening and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Roll half of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness or paper-thin on a floured cloth-covered surface. Cut into 3 inch rounds with floured cutter.
- Place about 1/2 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 1/8 inch thick cookies about 8 minutes; paper-thin cookies about 5 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
- To Make Frosting: Mix 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1-2 tablespoons half-and-half until of spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cooled cookies.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 326.2 calories, Carbohydrate 58.5 g, Cholesterol 1.4 mg, Fat 9.4 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 180.4 mg, Sugar 34.3 g
Tips:
- Use unsulphured molasses for a richer flavor.
- If you don't have baking soda, you can use 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead.
- Don't overmix the dough, or the cookies will be tough.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking, this will help the cookies hold their shape.
- Bake the cookies until they are just set, about 10-12 minutes. If you overbake them, they will be dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Conclusion:
Moravian molasses cookies are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their soft and chewy texture and rich molasses flavor, these cookies are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a sweet and satisfying snack, give these Moravian molasses cookies a try!
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