Cookies, molasses

Molasses cookies are a spiced, chewy cookie built around the deep, slightly bitter sweetness of molasses, usually paired with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The dough is often rolled in granulated sugar before baking so the tops crackle as they spread, leaving a soft, dense center and a slightly crisp edge. They show up most often around the winter holidays alongside gingerbread and spice cakes, but the base recipe works year-round as a simple drop cookie, and swapping in blackstrap molasses instead of a milder variety gives a noticeably darker, more robust flavor.

At 430 calories per 100 g these are a dense treat, but they stand out among sweets for carrying 36% of the Daily Value for iron per 100 g, a benefit of the molasses itself, plus 12% for magnesium and 11% for protein, all figures well above what most cookies offer. Sugar is high at 17.6 g per 100 g and fat sits at 12.8 g, so this is a cookie to enjoy in a normal portion rather than a base for a meal. Baked cookies keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, staying soft if you toss in a small piece of bread to keep the moisture in, and the raw dough freezes easily if you want to bake only a few at a time.