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