Molasses Cookies were very popular during the Civil War. Loved ones would often send care packages of molasses cookies, cakes and socks to their soldiers.

Prior to the war, Louisiana served as the sugar capital of the United States and produced roughly 270,000 tons of cane sugar in 1861. When the war erupted in 1861, Union blockades and military campaigns swept through the Mississippi Valley and South Louisiana and the production of sugar plummeted.

At the beginning of the war, cane sugar prices skyrocketed from around 7 cents a pound to over 20 to 35 cents a pound as supplies dwindled due to the military blockades.

In the place of sugar, molasses was a popular substitute because it was less expensive and easier to obtain.

Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup dark molasses

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and whisk until combined. Set the bowl aside.

In a large bowl use a hand-held or stand alone mixer to beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together on high speed until creamy. Add in the molasses. egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the dough to firm up.

Once the dough has refrigerated for an hour, remove from the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll each cookie into the sugar – 1 Tablespoon of dough rolled into a ball)

Arrange each cookie ball at least 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.

Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges appear to be set. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to set on the sheets for about 5 minutes – then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.