Posted on March 23, 2012 by Kevin/I decided to test a recipe from the Amish Cook archives this morning. Posting recipes is one thing, TRYING them and tasting them…well, that’s another:) But I LOVED this recipe and will definitely make them again sometime. This recipe is from the late Elizabeth Coblentz. The recipe was actually for molasses nut cookies, but I’m not a big nut fan…sooo, the good thing about running my own website is, darn it, if I don’t want nuts in my cookies then I’m not going to put them in! I used homemade sorghum molasses for this cookie. The molasses was from the Amish settlement near Ethridge, Tennessee. We picked up the molasses last summer. One thing I didn’t realize until after I started baking is that the recipe called for 10 dozen cookies. Holy moly! Elizabeth must have been using this as an “after-church cookie.” I am going to leave the recipe as is, but unless you want 10 dozen cookies, my recommendation is A) halve the recipe or B) do what I did and make monster-sized cookies. The lemon frosting is a superb addition. The lemon taste really balances out and complements the strong molasses flavor.
Here is Elizabeth’s recipe for molasses cookies with lemon frosting:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup shortening
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 cup molasses
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extra
* 6 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons ground ginger
* 2 cups buttermilk
* 1 cup chopped nuts
Recipe
1. Position one of the oven’s racks in the center and preheat oven to 375°F degrees.
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
3. In a large bowl beat together the sugar and shortening until creamy.
4. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat well.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger until well blended.
6. Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture in several additions, alternating with the buttermilk until well combined.
7. Stir in the nuts.
8. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls (or if you want monster-sized cookies, you tablespoons!) spaced 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
9. Bake for about ten minutes, until golden around the edges.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.
LEMON FROSTING:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter
1 T. lemon juice