Mrs. Fields & iVillage 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest (686 photos) Holiday Cookies (24 photos)

Mom's Molasses Cookies

My family has made these cookies since I was a child. Waking up to the smell of these cookies baking is one of my favorite childhood memories. To this day I associate this smell with Christmas, Santa, snow and family gatherings. Although we usually made these cookies at Christmas time, Mom would also whip up a batch on request. And she got many requests!! This is a soft moist cookie that tastes just like gingerbread!!

2C sugar
1 C butter (softened)
1 C molasses
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 rounded tsp baking soda
1 C coffee
8 C flour
2 tsp taking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Mix softened butter and sugar together. Add egg, molasses and coffee. Mix dry ingredients together and blend into wet ingredients. (You'll need to use your hands to mix and form dough into a ball.) Chill in refrigerator (at least 1 hour.) You can roll these cookies out and make cutouts or roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and use a cookie press or fork to press on top. Sprinkle with sugar or holiday sprinkles. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will look like they're not done when you take them out of the oven. Bake until the bottom is slightly browned. Let cookies sit and cool until room temperature. They have to sit for awhile for the flavors to meld. These are soft dense cookies ... kind of like eating a slice of gingerbread.