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Molasses icebox cookies

I’m a big fan of ginger and spices in baking, and also of syrup – everything from golden syrup through to blackstrap molasses. I’ve already talked about them in bread, in muffins and in gingerbread biscuits (I’m still searching for my favourite gingerbread cake!).

  • use the baking paper and a straight edge to form a roll
  • roll into an even log about 3cm in diameter
  • twist ends of baking paper to make a tight roll

I was given the recipe for these by a Canadian friend to make as part of Canada Day (Fête du Canada) celebrations. They’re a really easy slice and bake biscuit, and have enough syrup and ginger even for me. For Christmas last year I decided to jazz them up a bit, largely for appearances, and came across the idea of a molasses icing, which of course I had to try!

It’s certainly not essential, but I think looks great, and also tastes wonderful with that molasses flavour in multiple layers. As you would expect with any syrup and spice based biscuit, these last really well, and are a great addition to the Christmas biscuit tin, though you could absolutely eat them at any time with a cuppa 🙂

Molasses cookies cooling on a rack

Molasses ice box cookies

Icing recipe from Epicurious

  • 225g dark molasses or treacle
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 225g butter at room temperature
  • 380g flour
  • 2 tsp bicarb soda
  • 2 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp salt

Molasses icing

  • 1 Tbs dark molasses
  • 75g icing sugar
  • 1 Tbs milk
  • raw sugar and pepper to sprinkle

For the icing, mix together the molasses, icing sugar and milk until thick and smooth. Add a small amount of extra milk if needed to get the right consistency. It needs to be thin enough to drizzle, but thick enough not to run off the cookies.

For the cookies, sift together flour, soda, ginger and salt. Cream molasses, sugar and butter until light. I use my stand mixer, but you can certainly use a wooden spoon. Mix in the dry ingredients thoroughly. Roll into two logs about 3-4cm in diameter using baking paper, twisting the ends to keep tight, and chill for at least an hour. You can do this a couple of days ahead if you like. Slice about 1cm thick, and bake at 180C (160C with fan) for about 12 min. The tops will be set and matte, rather than shiny, but will still be soft in the centre for a chewy cookie once cool. Cool on the tray for five minutes before removing to a rack and cooling completely.

Once cool, drizzle randomly with the icing, and sprinkle with a little raw sugar and pepper.

They keep for at least a couple of weeks in an airtight tin.

Makes about 35-40 biscuits