Ginger snaps vs molasses cookies

[pinkxray]

I am starting my annual Christmas cookie making today. I usually make around 10 varieties including gingerbread men. I’ve never made ginger snaps or molasses cookies. However, the older I get the more intriguing they seem. I’d like to add one to my list this year but not sure which one. The recipes seem very similar. Is there much difference? Does anyone make them every year and have a favorite?

 

[CGB]

I've made cookies for our family's coworkers each workday in December for 10 years. The molasses cookie (with a drizzle of vanilla candy coating) is always a favorite. It's not mine personally, but it always surprises me when they fly out of the box. I do a gingerbread bar with cream cheese icing also that is a favorite with coworkers too.

 

[NYCgrrl]

This year I’ve made 3x ginger cookies, pfferneuse and will make chocolate gingerbread. If I only had one to make it would probably be hard to pick, .

Do you have more soft or hard cookies? If I needed a soft cookie in my assortment I’d make something like a bar cookie, maybe a hermit. If I wanted a firmer cookie, it would be the pfferneuse aka pepper nut.
HTH and enjoy your labor of love.

 

[NAB]

Molasses cookies are what I bake every year. Stopped making ginger bread men to much work decorating etc. My family ate more of the molasses cookies anyway and always a hit at potluck.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I made these and loved them so much

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/crisp-molasses-cookies/

 

[_19disnA]

I like the recipes for soft gingerbread cookies best. The molasses ones seem overpowering with the amount of molasses in them and you can't taste anything else.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’ve never made ginger snaps or molasses cookies. However, the older I get the more intriguing they seem. I’d like to add one to my list this year but not sure which one.

Started to answer your question but got sidelined by RL and went off on a tangent . I was on the right track though, lol.

Molasses cookies are softer in texture than ginger snaps. Choose whichever one you like best since the ingredient lists are so similar.

 

[BrianL]

I'll take a dozen of each, please!

 

[fly girl]

Made molasses cookies for the first time last year. My dad loved his mom's molasses cookies and I wanted to surprise him by recreating them. I tried, but I learned it really is dependent upon the molasses. She used Brer Rabbit brand which my store did not carry so I used Grandma's Original. I think I am going to try again this year but buy the Brer Rabbit on Amazon. (fwiw, my dad said the Brer Rabbit has a richer molasses taste)

I think the key to good molasses cookies is to have them thick and chewy. It doesn't take long to over bake and make them crunchy (learned that the first go around.) It's harder to tell versus other cookies when they are done because they are dark to begin with. I shaved off minute of two from directions to keep it a soft cookie.

 

[NYCgrrl]

She used Brer Rabbit brand which my store did not carry so I used Grandma's Original. I think I am going to try again this year but buy the Brer Rabbit on Amazon. (fwiw, my dad said the Brer Rabbit has a richer molasses taste)

It’s possible that there was a difference in the type of molasses used as well. Both BR and Grandma’s sell blackstrap, robust and original; think it’s also divided by unsulphered and sulphered.
If you’ve a copy of Joy of Cooking, older versions (1930s - 1970s) do a great job of describing the differences and their use. You can also try various baking blogs like: Dorie Greenspan, maybe David Leibovitz, Sally’s Baking Addiction.
HTH.

 

[fly girl]

It’s possible that there was a difference in the type of molasses used as well. Both BR and Grandma’s sell blackstrap, robust and original; think it’s also divided by unsulphered and sulphered.
If you’ve a copy of Joy of Cooking, older versions (1930s - 1970s) do a great job of describing the differences and their use. You can also try various baking blogs like: Dorie Greenspan, maybe David Leibovitz, Sally’s Baking Addiction.
HTH.

I found out her cookies were off of the Brer Rabbit molasses bottle. I did a search last year for the recipe from the 50's and found it. I will purchase the full flavor (now red label.) Last year I used Grandma's Original so I think that is why it missed the mark. Don't get me wrong, my Dad loved the cookies, but we were talking about it after and he said the molasses was different. Definitely not as strong as his mom's cookies. Grandma's brand does have a robust bottle, but they do not carry that version at my Kroger. And if I am going to buy the molasses online, I may as well get the brand my grandma used. I have no doubt she used the green label described on the recipe photo.

 

[mjkacmom]

I made gluten free ginger molasses cookies for thanksgiving, they went quickly. I just substituted gf flour. Molasses/ginger cookies come out great gf.

 

[TinkTock]

I like the Taste of Home recipe for Big Soft Ginger Cookies. If you want even more ginger flavor, you can add some diced up crystallized ginger.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Gingerbread is more fun and has more of a classic taste, but we're not big into decorating and ginger is one of those things that we can only take in limited doses. I guess it's good if you're wanting to curb cookie consumption but molasses cookies are generally the more one popular to eat.

 

[BrianL]

I found out her cookies were off of the Brer Rabbit molasses bottle. I did a search last year for the recipe from the 50's and found it. I will purchase the full flavor (now red label.) Last year I used Grandma's Original so I think that is why it missed the mark. Don't get me wrong, my Dad loved the cookies, but we were talking about it after and he said the molasses was different. Definitely not as strong as his mom's cookies. Grandma's brand does have a robust bottle, but they do not carry that version at my Kroger. And if I am going to buy the molasses online, I may as well get the brand my grandma used. I have no doubt she used the green label described on the recipe photo.


View attachment 917857

Wasn't Brer Rabbit Molasses replaced with Tiana's Molasses?

 

[NYCgrrl]

ginger is one of those things that we can only take in limited doses

Oh dear, you are definitely not of West Indian descent
Ginger is the cure all for whatever ails you in the Caribbean, lol.
Ehh unless you’re on Death’s door at which point only mauby juice and prayer will save you- when it comes to mauby wellllll Id rather die

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Oh dear, you are definitely not of West Indian descent
Ginger is the cure all for whatever ails you in the Caribbean, lol.
Ehh unless you’re on Death’s door at which point only mauby juice and prayer will save you- when it comes to mauby wellllll Id rather die

No, definitely not of that heritage; however, ginger is a component in the tea concoction that I make whenever I get a head cold or bad allergies...especially if I need to sing.