The holidays are upon us once again, and one thing all winter holidays seem to have in common is food, glorious food. The temptation to overindulge is strong this time of year, but as we celebrate, it’s wise to heed to words of the ancient Greek poet, Hesiod, and remember, “Moderation is best in all things” (even during this festive time of year).
This week’s recipe for Moravian Brown Sugar Cookies is likely to challenge your resolve, but hey, it’s the holidays. Blackstrap molasses is a crucial ingredient in this recipe and it has health benefits of its own. The recipe was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
Oscar Wilde
Moravian Brown Sugar Cookies
Visions of Sugarplums, Mimi Sheraton (1968)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup light cream (half and half can be substituted for light cream)
- 2 cups black molasses (blackstrap molasses is a byproduct of the sugar cane refining process. Sugar cane is mashed to create juice, which is then boiled once to create cane syrup. A second boiling creates molasses. After a third boiling, a dark viscous liquid emerges known in the US as blackstrap molasses, which is best in this recipe)
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 7–8 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cream, molasses, and spices. Sift flour in gradually, beating well between additions until dough is stiff and can be rolled. (*Note:* This is best done in with a stand mixer.) Let dough stand in a cool place (not the refrigerator) 5–6 hours or overnight for richer flavor. Roll dough out to paper thinness on a lightly floured board and cut into fancy shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies on buttered and floured baking sheets and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10–12 minutes or until a mellow brown color, but not darkened around the edges. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes 8 dozen.
Notes
This Pennsylvania Dutch recipe makes a wonderfully crispy, spicy molasses cookie.
Rolling the dough out can be tricky. It helps to regularly slide an offset spatula underneath to lift the dough, then liberally dust the board with flour to avoid sticking. Be aware that rolling, cutting out, and baking just half of this recipe takes about 6 hours.