We are heading into molasses season in the South. Many Amish families in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi will be turning sorghum into molasses in the weeks ahead. In a couple of weeks I'll actually be visiting with an Amish family in southern Indiana who will set about making molasses. They usually begin the process a couple of weeks after the first freeze and that is set to hit southern Indiana soon. I'll be sharing lot of photos and recipes from molasses making time when I return from there. I am looking forward to watching the process and sharing it with you. "Sorghum shacks" are almost as common on the farmsteads of Amish in the south as "sugar shacks" are in maple syrup country.
Meanwhile, taste this awesome cookie recipe. I made these from an Amish recipe from a woman in Indiana. Yum, these are good...the citrus hint of the lemon frosting provides the perfect flavor balance to the heavier molasses. Here is the recipe!
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- ere is Elizabeth’s recipe for molasses cookies with lemon frosting:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extra
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 cups buttermilk
- LEMON FROSTING:
- 1½ c. powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- Position one of the oven’s racks in the center and preheat oven to 375F degrees.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- In a large bowl beat together the sugar and shortening until creamy.
- Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger until well blended.
- Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture in several additions, alternating with the buttermilk until well combined.
- Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls (or if you want monster-sized cookies, you tablespoons!) spaced 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for about ten minutes, until golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.
- FROSTING: Cream together the ingredients and spread over cool cookies.
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John A. Chontofalsky
Kevin - you need to set up an on-line shopping website. I would sure like to purchase a small ceramic container of sorghum molasses. Do you know how I can buy online?
Kevin
John, that's not a bad idea..I'd need to work out logistics and give that some thought..I did try having an online store (that sold more than books) but that was - amazingly - 10 - 15 years ago...Online shopping has come a long way since then, so it might be time to revisit that! - Kevin