Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tuesdays with Dorie- Sugar-Topped Molasses Spice

This weeks recipe is supposed to be Cran-Apple Crisps and it was chosen by Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef. Head over to her blog to see a beautiful picture of how it is supposed to look when finished. However, since we have been given the leeway to bake November's recipes in any order we'd like, I chose to make the Sugar-topped Molasses Spice cookies instead. I will make the Cran-Apple crisps Thanksgiving week. Next week, stop by Pamela of Cookies with Boys blog to see her choice, which I made this week.

I decided to bake these cookies to kill three birds with one stone. Bird number one was, of course, one of the Tuesdays with Dorie recipes. Bird number two, I needed gingersnap cookies to make a crumble for the top of some muffins I baked with SMS, and knew these cookies would fit the bill (though as my son pointed out, there is a difference between gingersnap cookies and molasses cookies, but I digress!). The third bird I wished to kill was having something yummy to bake for my Operation Baking Gals team, Team Oven Loving for the Recovering - East Coast. So, this recipe worked out great for me. I love it when a plan comes together! :)


These were no real trouble to put together. The dough was very soft when I wrapped it in plastic and placed it in the freezer to cool for 30 minutes. It was still a bit soft when I began to use it; my palms were coated in cookies dough after rolling just a couple of balls. I just cut smaller portions to work with and kept the rest in the fridge.

I did not make big cookies, mine were maybe two inches across. I wanted enough to ship to my soldiers and enough to crush for the crumble. I ended up with about 5 dozen, give or take a couple. (Like the couple two or three I ate)


I rolled the first batch in raw sugar, liking the look of the big granules of sugar. Unfortunately, I ran out of the raw sugar and the remainder cookies were rolled in granulated white sugar instead. My house smelled wonderful as these cookies were baking.

The cookies tasted as wonderful as they smelled while baking. These were soooooo very good. I am glad I shipped all of them off. They were dangerous.  The couple I ate was actually more like 4 or 5...I lost count! They were crispy around the edges when you first bit into them and then the center was soft and chewy. The flavor was delicious. I added a good sized pinch of black pepper to mine, and didn't think it made them too hot at all. In fact, I think I would add a touch more in the future. My son's favorite cookie is Molasses, and when he heard I gave them all away he was crushed. That's okay. Just gives me a reason to bake another batch.



So, be sure to stop by Cookies with Boys  next week to get the recipe. You won't be sorry. And, if you would like to see who baked what this week, head over to TWD.

27 comments:

  1. I really loved these cookies too. I've been eating them nonstop. I should have given some away. Your cookies look fantastic and I love how they look with the raw sugar.

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  2. I used raw sugar on mine, too and I loved the way they turned out. Thanks for baking with me! These are a great cookie for OBG, by the way!!

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  3. YOur cookies look great! I used raw sugar for some and decorating sugar for others.

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  4. I have made these 5 times now as my boys loved them and I needed something to take for the swim meet hospitality room last weekend. A big hit everywhere. Yours look beautiful with that raw sugar, I am going to try that next round. We all enjoyed the sparkle the sugar gives to the cookies...makes them seem a little magical! You are busy with all this baking, love it when one thing can count for two, or three different things!

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  5. Your cookies really look great! I am looking forward to making these!! So glad you enjoyed them!

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  6. Your cookies look great, and I'm sure they will be much-appreciated by their recipients. They look great rolled in the raw sugar!

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  7. Your cookies look perfect, Susan! Love that you used raw sugar--will do that next time. These were delicious!

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  8. I'm glad to hear that the black pepper added a bit of heat and flavor. I definitely will include that when I make these next week. These look great!

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  9. They look perfect! I loved these too and also made them this week :)

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  10. Your cookies look great- I'm sure they will be a hit for the soldiers, that's great! Thanks for saying hello and keep up the great work!

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  11. These look great! I hope the soldiers enjoyed them! I can't wait to make them; I'm thinking next week!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  12. That looks just delicious! I made these today. I couldn't tell much of a difference in my rolling sugars one these were baked. Ah well.

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  13. Your cookies look very delicious.. especially with that tall glass of milk on the side. I think I'm might be making these next week.. or the apple crisps? OH.. i'm not sure! they both sound amazingly good :) Great job on yours!

    BTW: thanks for your nice comment

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  14. those look great...I agree..they are dangerous!

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  15. I love how they are rolled in raw sugar - so pretty!

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  16. I am looking forward to making these as I've never baked with molasses before! Yours look great

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  17. My husband devoured these - I made them before I had to fly out of town. Thank you for stopping by my blog and, yes, Gus my pup is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I have another one named Daisy, and they are wonderful, sweet, gently creatures.

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  18. OOoooohhh! Your cookies came out perfect! and you shared to such a great cause. Good thing; the cookies are easy to nibble on. Thank you for the compliment on my lasagna roll-ups btw. When I am tired in the weeknight evenings, I look for easy dinners and the lasagna roll-ups always fit the bill. =)

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  19. After reading all the raves about these, I am going to have to make some today! I will be sure to roll some in the Turbinado sugar like you did, they looked delicious.

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  20. These are so good and so easy. Love the pic of the balls with the sugar. That one says it all.

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  21. fantastic-- you'll definitley have to make your son a batch!

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  22. we both made these for operation baking gals! I loved them- have a feeling they will stay fresh for the troops.

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  23. Nothing like killing 3 birds with one stone - they look delicious.

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  24. Lovely cookies! I think our troops are going to get a real treat with ginger cookies this month. So nice to meet a fellow Baking GAL.

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  25. What a good idea to use raw sugar. I have some, but never would have thought to use it. I'll try it with the second half of my batch of cookies. Yours look perfect!

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  26. I will be sure to use raw sugar when I make these, they look absolutely divine. I loved the gingersnap crumble so much, I think I'll probably turn some of these cookies into and make more of those yummy muffins!

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  27. Beautiful cookies! Your son sounds like quite the discriminating cookie lover. I just made these today and was surprised by how much I liked them (I also may have eaten more than 2 or 3...) I love it when everything falls in place and you can multi-task with the same recipe.

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Please feel free to comment. I love hearing from others.