Fancy Cookies: Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Drizzle

Molasses and spice remind me of my grandmother. She introduced me to traditional gingerbread cake - straightforward with lots of molasses and ginger topped with a bit of whipped cream. The cake was one of her favorites. Growing up in Appalachia her family often used molasses, rather than sugar, in confections, as a pancake topper, even to sweeten coffee.

These cookies are inspired by those flavors. The drizzle of orange glaze adds brightness and complements the cookie's cinnamon and ginger. They're not too fancy (or, fussy as grandma said of overly done baked goods), but they are tasty and pair well with a cup of coffee or tea. Grandma would've approved!

Start by creaming butter and sugar until fluffy.

Mix in egg and molasses.

Mix in combined flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Batter will be thick.

Using a small dasher or teaspoon, place dough on lined cookie sheet.
Bake 7 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet
before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Combine drizzle ingredients. Using a teaspoon, lightly drizzle over cookies.

Soft, spiced cookies topped with sweet orange glaze. 

Molasses Spice Cookies

makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.

Using a 1-inch dasher, scoop dough onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

Orange Drizzle

1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

grated zest of 1 orange

4-5 tsp milk

Combine sugar and zest. Add enough milk to make icing easy to drizzle. Using a teaspoon, drizzle over cooled cookies. Allow icing to harden before storing.

Homemade Baked Beans from Dried Beans

"Best baked beans I've ever had," said the chief gardener after eating beans that we grew (var. Kenearly Yellow Eyes) soaked overnight and baked in a sweet/savory sauce with bacon ends (compliments of Six Buckets Farm), molasses, onions and brown sugar. These beans take a little extra time but are easy and super tasty! Don't worry about the volume - you'll enjoy the leftovers!

We grew and dried these white beans. Pretty and delicious!

In a large saucepot, Soak beans overnight. Add 1/2 tsp salt, bring beans to a boil,
reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.

Drain beans reserving liquid.

Place beans in a casserole. Add remaining ingredients.
Cover and bake in a 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Sweet, savory, smoky. Amazing!

New England Baked Beans
Adapted from The Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook (1987 edition)

1 lb dried beans (navy or great northern)
1/4 lb salt pork or bacon, chopped
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Rinse beans. In a large heavy saucepot soak beans in 8 cups water overnight. Add 1/2 tsp salt to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/4 hours. Drain beans, reserving liquid. In a 2 1/2 quart casserole combine beans, pork or bacon and onions. Stir in 1 cup reserved liquid, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cover and bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more of the reserved liquid if necessary. Makes 6-8 servings.