Kris Kringle Molasses Cookies

Although it’s not quite time for me to start my holiday baking, I couldn’t wait any longer to bite into my favorite cookie. I’m not sure why I only make these at Christmas time, but it might have something to do with the fact that if I made these any more often, my waistline would be considerably more, well, more.

The warm, spicy smell of these cookies brings back deep, wonderful Christmas memories of being in my childhood kitchen, rosy cheeked from ice skating in the pond next to our house, and washing down the cookies with hot cocoa. The texture is soft and chewy and the strong molasses flavor is memorable. A cookie to be savored, not merely gobbled.

Here’s the recipe for Kris Kringle Molasses Cookies. My recipe card for these is written in my childhood scrawl, so apparently I knew at a young age that these were destined to be part of my life and my memories. At the bottom I wrote, “double recipe needed.” That’s how much I love them! Try a batch, and let me know if these will be part of your baking traditions as well.

Kris Kringle Molasses Cookies

Mix thoroughly:

¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses

Sift together and stir in:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. When dough is chilled, pour about ¼ cup white sugar into a shallow bowl. Preheat oven to 375°.

Roll chilled dough into walnut-sized balls and dip the tops in the sugar. Place, sugared side up, 3″ apart on greased baking sheet. Before placing in oven, sprinkle pan with a few drops of water to encourage the cookies to have crackled top. Bake till just set, about 10-12 minutes. Now just sit back and try to resist!