My grandmother, Marie Calabrese (we call her Nana) makes the most delicious molasses cookies I have ever tasted. They are perfect... nice and thin but chewy, oh-so chewy. Yum :)
My father stopped by and took me out to dinner last week on his way home from his parents' house for Christmas celebrations, and gave me some molasses cookies that Nana baked... I wish I could have eaten them (hello gluten!). I gave the cookies to Laura for her and her daughters to enjoy... and decided that it was time to attempt some gluten-free molasses cookies.
To create this recipe, I used the same flour blend (gluten-free blend #1) that I have used for the past few recipes simply because when I made the mix, I made a lot of flour. I want to experiment with different flour recipes for different baked goods to see what goes well with the textures and flavors of different combinations of flours.
***the most important thing to remember in cooking & baking (especially when you are cooking and baking gluten-free!!!) is that not every attempt at a recipe comes out perfect the first time.
***Molasses cookie attempt #1: FAILURE!***
It is always so sad to open up the oven and find a completely flat sheet cookies that have spread out paper thin. You feel like you completely failed- your recipe sucks.
When I mixed the dough together, I noticed that it was way too thin and sticky to be a rolled cookie (usually you would roll the molasses cookies in little balls, roll them in sugar, then bake them, creating a nice crispy outside from the sugar but a soft, chewy inside). I used my chocolate chip cookie recipe as a basis for this recipe, which was a recipe for drop cookies. Now I really understand the difference between a drop cookie and a molded (into little balls, that is) cookie. Drop cookies have a much thinner batter than molded cookies which results from a higher wet:dry ratio (drop cookies have less flour to the amount of wet ingredients (fat, sugar, egg, molasses) than molded cookies do).
Batch #1 of my cookies came out terribly. They spread out, did not rise, and looked more like really burned lace cookies than molasses cookies (they weren't burned, lace cookies are just usually light-colored). Anyway, I hypothesized that my major issue with these cookies was my wet to dry ratio was messed up, and I also probably needed more leavening agent (baking soda). So, I mixed 1/2 cup more of the gluten-free flour blend, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 more teaspoon of baking soda in a separate bowl, and mixed this in to the rest of the cookie dough that had not been baked yet.
When I did this, the cookie dough completely transformed itself from a drop cookie failure to a nice molded cookie dough, although this dough did seem much softer than 'regular', gluten-laden molasses cookies. I carefully rolled the cookies in between my palms, rolled them in pure cane sugar, and then tried baking them again....
...I held my breath as I opened the oven, and......
... SUCCESS!!!
The cookies came out really good... the cane sugar created a nice, crispy coating on top, while the inside stayed nice and soft. These cookies taste even better once they have cooled off and have been sitting around for a while.
Here is the original recipe which did not work out as written because I didn't have enough flour and baking soda... (so don't use this recipe, duh)...
Molasses Cookies- attempt #1
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup gluten-free flour blend #1
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Here is a **revised** version of the recipe, but I am going to have to try this recipe again to see if the proportions of wet and dry are correct...
Molasses Cookies- *Revised*
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour blend #1
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla extract, maple syrup, molasses, and egg, beating after each addition. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, & baking powder.
Mix everything together so mixture is a uniform consistency.
Mix dry into wet ingredients.
Roll cookies into little balls & roll in cane sugar.
Bake for about 9 mins or until done :)
... yum :)
oh yeah, it snowed (finally!)
