Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Believe it or not these delicious, big, soft cookies were a mistake. I was trying to make some of my traditional Newfoundland molasses tea buns (a sweet biscuit) and misread my own recipe. They spread way too much on the pan and got a bit crispy at the edges but stayed relatively soft at the center. I was quite irritated at the time but broke one in half and started eating it while I restarted the recipe. Then I ate the other half. Then I ate a second full cookie with some of the vanilla glaze I had ready for the tea buns. Then I began to wonder if this was a mistake at all!

My sister Barb was in town and took the remainder of the batch for her hiking group as trail fuel. They all reported that they loved them and came looking for the recipe. I quickly had to write down my error so I wouldn't forget it and well... here they are.

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 2/3 cup fancy molasses
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll out on a well floured surface to 3/4 inch thickness and cut the cookies out with  2 1/2 or 3 inch biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. The edges should just begin to brown when they are baked and the centers risen. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

If making these to store stacked or in a cookie jar I'd make a Royal Icing glaze which hardens better and is more durable. For that I use:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder and
• 3 tablespoons of lukewarm water

Beat together until well combined and fluffy, with the frosting forming soft peaks. Pipe or spread onto the cookies. Let sit for an hour or two to allow the icing to harden before storing in airtight containers.

Molasses Raisin Biscuit Cookies

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Here's a great Easter idea that would be welcome at a weekend brunch any time of the year. We already have a great recipe for yeast raised Hot Cross Buns here on Rock Recipes but if you are dough-phobic or just don't have the time to make the traditional version, why not try this molasses version that's as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

Molasses tea buns are one of my favorites so I've used that recipe here but if you don't want the molasses version, you could try our regular Raisin Tea Buns recipe and just add the spices to that and then top those with the vanilla glaze. Either way, in about an hour you could be enjoying these at an Easter brunch or on any given weekend.

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1 rounded tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Baked beans is another family favorite in our household and we have several go-to recipes depending on what else is on the menu. Search baked beans on this website and you'll see several recipes from spicy Maple Chipotle to Baked Beans with Apple Sausage.

Today's recipe is the one we use most often though and is pretty close to how I first made them over 30 years ago. The only real difference is that I like to use smoked paprika for added smokey flavor to the beans these days but you can easily substitute regular paprika if you can't find smoked.

Be careful to use fancy molasses or light molasses in this recipe, other types like blackstrap or cooking molasses can be too strongly flavored.

This batch is also quite big and would serve a dozen people or more but we always make this large a batch to freeze them in 16 -20 ounce plastic containers to enjoy for lunch or with a great brunch for several weeks later. If you don't want to make that much, the recipe is easily halved.

We love these beans served with our favorite Apple Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwiches. The pulled pork and the beans are slow cooked for a similar amount of time so we often have both in the oven at the same time and are guaranteed leftovers for a couple of days, so it's a great weekend cooking project.

 Begin by soaking in water overnight or up to 48hours:

• 1 1/2 pounds dry white beans (or navy beans)

In a large skillet slowly fry:

• 1 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut in small pieces

Completely render the fat out of the bacon, leaving it crispy. Pour off the majority of
the fat from the pan. Set the bacon aside. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add:

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 large red onions chopped

Cook until the onions and garlic are softened, then add:

• 3 cups water

Let the water come to the boil to deglaze the pan. Add to a large covered roaster along
with the crisp bacon, the soaked beans which have been drained and add:

• 1 cup light or fancy molasses
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4  tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• one 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, pureed
• one 28 ounce can tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp dijon mustard

Stir all together well, cover and place in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 4 hours
stirring occasionally. The beans should be fully cooked and tender and the sauce
should thicken. I sometimes add a little extra boiling water during the cooking time if
the sauce thickens too quickly before the beans are fully cooked. This is not a problem
at all and can be done more than once if necessary.

Old Fashioned Molasses and Bacon Baked Beans

Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken Wings with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken Wings with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

With the Superbowl coming up, wings are almost a certainty on most game day menus. Here's my latest version of crispy baked wings which may save a few fat calories but are more convenient to serve on the day too. I often make these a couple of hours ahead of time and simply warm them on a wire rack over a cookie sheet at about 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or so when it's time to serve.

I sometimes find molasses based BBQ sauces to be a little too strongly flavored, so this recipe uses honey as well to maintain the sweetness of the sauce while mellowing the flavor or the molasses.

• 3 pounds chicken wings, washed, trimmed and cut in pieces

For the dredge, mix together:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dry oregano
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tbsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Dip the chicken wings into an egg wash made from whisking together:

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk

Dip each wing into the flour dredge, then in the egg was and back into the flour dredge again.
Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and lightly drizzle or spray the tops with a little more canola oil.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the wings. Flip the wing pieces at half way through the cooking time. Serve with Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce.



Honey Molasses Barbeque Sauce

• One 14 ounce can plain tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic
• 1/3 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tbsp ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground dry oregano
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Simmer all ingredients together slowly for about a half hour or until the sauce thickens sufficiently. Stir often as the sauce simmers.

Blackstrap Barbeque Sauce

Blackstrap Barbeque Sauce

• One 14 ounce can plain tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses (substitute regular fancy molasses if necessary or if you don't like the strong flavor of blackstrap)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional or to taste)
• 1 tbsp ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground dry oregano
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Simmer all ingredients together slowly for about a half hour.