Our family's Molasses Cookies (Soft and Chewy) Recipe, made with ginger frosting slathered on the bottom, was a family favorite that was lost for more than 25 years. Now my grandson eats them like moon pies, putting the frosting side together and eating two at once.
Old-fashioned Molasses Cookies
Old Fashioned Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies are a simple drop cookie.
My first husband's Grandma Lol (Marcella Lynch Fay) was a cute little lady. Grandma Lol's Lost Molasses Cookies were the best molasses cookies I ever had. (Well, now I make them and mine are just as good!) She frosted the bottoms of the cookies, which made them interesting and fun.
But she never shared the recipe with her children or grandchildren, so when she died, the recipe was lost. For 25 years or so, we hungered for her cookies. Then, one of the relatives found a recipe in an old-time cookbook. These cookies taste exactly like Grandma Lol's Lost Molasses Cookies. Because I don't eat gluten, I make them gluten-free and they are still amazing. You can't even tell they are gluten free.
Frost the Molasses Cookie Bottoms
Why should you frost the bottom of the cookies? Because these cookies are cake-like and the bottoms are smooth and hard. If you frost the tops of the cookies, you will get crumbs in the frosting. You can frost them, eat them plain, or roll them in sugar before baking. You can even put two together with the frosting in the middle like a moon pie. They are so scrumptious.
Lol, a name given to her by my first husband when he couldn't pronounce her name, and it stuck, was about 5 feet tall and had plenty of spunk. She told us stories of how her brother was the first one to have a motorcycle in the neighborhood (he was a police officer) and, she said with a twinkle in her eyes, he took her for rides on it. She always had a a fun story to make us laugh. If we asked her what she was making for supper, she generally replied, œTwo mosquitoes baked in butter!
What You Need
For this recipe you need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, an electric mixer, cookie sheets and a spatula. Get yourself some of the silicone baking sheets (affiliate link). They are awesome. No sticking, easy clean up. Just put them on top of your normal cookie sheet. No need for grease or parchment paper. And of course, you'll need a good cuppa coffee with your cookie, right?
Lost Molasses Cookies Recipe
Lost Molasses Cookies
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
Cookie
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup dark molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour See note for wheat variation.
- 1½ cups ground blanched almond meal
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
Frosting
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening Crisco
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar i.e., powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Cookies
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.
- Beat in eggs, molasses, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, almond meal, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk until thoroughly combined.
- Drop dough by teaspoonsfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased baking sheets. Or use a silicone baking mat and skip the "greasing" part.
- Bake at 350F degrees for 7-9 minutes or until set.
- Remove and cool on wire racks or on brown paper bags as our grandmothers used to do.
- When cool, frost the bottoms of the cookies with the ginger frosting (recipe below).
Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter. (You can use all butter if you prefer, but shortening makes it a little fluffier.)
- Add the vanilla, ginger, powdered sugar and milk.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over bottom of the cooled cookies.
- Store in an airtight container with a sheet of wax paper between layers.
Notes
Recipe Nutrition Information
This recipe is GF, SF, EF, V*
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Lost Molasses Cookies Nutrition Label. Each serving is one unfrosted cookie. Delicious!
Lost Molasses Cookies Nutrition Label. Each serving is one frosted cookie. (The frosting is amazing!)
Nourish Your Body & Soul
I encourage you to care of yourself by eating satisfying, nourishing food that is good for your body and makes you feel healthy. Protect your spirit by living authentically, moving your body, and taking time to replenish and rest. I think you might also like these recipes & posts from Recipe Idea Shop:
- Sadie's Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies
- Danish Sugar Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Coconut Kiss Cookies
- Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Squares
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Grandma's Old-fashioned Molasses Cookies are amazing. Easy drop cookies and so delicious! #RecipeIdeaShop
Lost Molasses Cookies. So scrumptious. Frost the bottoms!
Molasses Cookies Recipe, chewy, old fashioned, drop cookie recipe. So flavorful!
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.
