Molasses Spice Cutouts Recipes

CRISP MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat the two together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and beat on high until completely combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator (and up to 2-3 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard and the cookies may not spread.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
• Roll balls of dough (about 1 scant Tablespoon of dough per cookie) into the granulated/coarse sugar. Place each ball 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13 minutes or until cracked on the top.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

SOFT MOLASSES CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Frost or dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

SWEDISH SPICE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, corn syrup and molasses. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 4-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Top with almonds if desired or leave plain. , Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Frost plain cookies if desired.

GRANDMA'S CHRISTMAS SPICE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Combine the first five ingredients. Whisk together remaining ingredients; add to molasses mixture and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, 3 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes with floured 2-in. cookie cutters; place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CLASSIC GINGERBREAD CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the molasses and eggs. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; beat into the molasses mixture. Gradually stir in the remaining flour by hand to form a stiff dough.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar. Blend in egg whites. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is thick and stiff. Keep covered with a moist cloth until ready to frost cookies.

SPICED CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the molasses and egg. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the orange juice. Then stir in the orange zest.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters, and place them on an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, edges should be slightly browned. Cool cookies on wire racks.

PUMPKIN SPICE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin pie mix and molasses. In another bowl, whisk next 6 ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap. Refrigerate several hours, until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, beat confectioners' sugar, butter and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.

FAVORITE MOLASSES CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• Combine butter, sugar, molasses, egg, and vinegar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight or until firm.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out dough on surface covered with equal mixture of flour and sugar, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 4-inch cookie cutter.
• Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until no indention remains when touched. Let stand 1 minute. Cool completely on wire rack.
• Combine all frosting ingredients except milk and decorator sugars in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Decorate cooled cookies with frosting and decorator sugars, as desired.

MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; blend into the molasses mixture. Cover, and chill dough for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Roll dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining white sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until tops are cracked. Cool on wire racks.

MOLASSES SPICE LEAVES

Steps:

• Make cookies:
• Finely grind walnuts in processor. Add 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar and blend to powder. Using electric mixer, cream butter with brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Mix remaining 1 3/4 cups flour with nut mixture, spices and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture (dough will be soft). Divide dough into 2 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter heavy large cookie sheets. On heavily floured surface, roll 1 dough piece out (keep remainder refrigerated) to thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Cut out cookies using 3-inch leaf cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Repeat rolling and cutting with second dough piece. Gather scraps and chill 15 minutes. Reroll scraps and cut out more cookies. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on racks.
• Make icing:
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and egg whites until smooth.
• Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/16-inch round tip. Pipe icing atop cookies. Decorate with dragées. Let stand until icing sets. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store refrigerated between layers of waxed paper in airtight container. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature before serving.)