Best Molasses Spice Leaves Recipes

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 1h30m

Yield Makes 36

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of 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.
Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely.

Molasses Spice Leaves image

Yield Makes about 48

Number Of Ingredients 18

For cookies
1/2 cup walnuts (about 2 ounces)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
For icing
3 cups powdered sugar
2 large egg whites
Silver dragées

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.)