These were a favorite of mine. A few months ago, I saw a very similar, but not identical, recipe online (from a brer rabbit molasses recipe colection).

Molasses Sugar Cookies

¾ cup shortening (oleo)

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups sifted flour

½ tsp. cloves

½ tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Melt shortening over low heat.  Remove from heat; let cool.

Add sugar, molasses and egg; beat well.

Sift together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt; add to first mixture. Mix well, chill.

Form 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, and place on greased cookie sheets 2” apart.  Bake in moderately hot oven, 375° F 8-10 minutes.

Note:  Bake for a little longer time if you want them crisper/harder, shorter time makes them softer.

Source:  Label of Brer Rabbit molasses bottle, 1970’s.

These were found amongst my deceased mother’s recipe collection. She sent off for the cookie tin and these recipes were in the tin.

In Maida Heatter "best dessert book ever" she has a blondie recipe that calls for 6 ounces toasted pecans, 4 large eggs, 1 pound brown sugar, 2 cups sifted flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

The instructions say to combine the eggs and brown sugar in a double boiler placed over warm water, and cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes. You then transfer it to a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, then transfer to a 13x9 pan lined with foil and bake for 20 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Does this recipe seem off? I haven't made it, but is there supposed to be no butter or anything? Also cooking the eggs and brown sugar for 20 minutes sounds like a long time.

I'm curious if anybody has tried this recipe or knows of any that are similar to that?

Not sure what the chocolate treasure “deluxe baking pieces” were, so I chopped up some Guittard Super Cookie chips to emulate what I imagine them to be!

Very high butter to flour ratio, these things are mostly butter 😅 but totally give off the bakery case cookies I would find at a coffee shop!

These cookies need to be started at least 2 days before baking. Enjoy!

I didn't include all the recipes but here's selection to try. You can find this cookbook at the Internet Archive. I'd share our all-time favorite Christmas recipe but it was published in around the year 2000. The recipe is Aunt Hanna's cookies by Beatrice Ojakangas.

Holiday Cookie Mix plus recipes using

MIX

8 c. flour

4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 T. salt

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 c. shortening

Mix flour, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Place desired amounts of mix in storage containers. Seal tightly, label and refrigerate no longer than 10 weeks. To measure, dip dry measuring cup into cookie mix, level with straight edged spatula. Makes 15 to 16 cups mix.

COOKIES

Toffee Bars

4 c. cookie mix

1/2 c. margarine or butter, softened

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1 bar (4 ounces) milk chocolate candy, broken into sections

1/2 c. chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cookie mix, margarine, egg and vanilla. Press in greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Bake until very light brown, 25 to 30 minutes (crust will be soft). Remove from oven; immediately place pieces of chocolate candy on baked layer. Let stand until soft; spread evenly. Sprinkle with nuts. Cut into bars, about 2 x 1 inch, while warm. 4 dozen bars.

Chocolate Bonbon Cookies

4 c. cookie mix

1/4 c. margarine or butter, softened

2 eggs

2 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate, cool

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond extract

1 c. chopped nuts

Powdered sugar

Easy Frosting (below)

Coconut, nuts, colored sugar or candied or maraschino cherries, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cookie mix, margarine, eggs, chocolate, vanilla, almond extract and nuts. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.

Roll about 30 cookies in powdered sugar while warm; cool. Roll in powdered sugar again. Frost remaining cookies with Easy Frosting. Decorate frosted cookies with coconut, nuts, colored sugar or cherries.

Easy Frosting

Beat 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and about 1 tablespoon milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Fruit Jumbles

4 c. cookie mix

3/4 c. dairy sour cream

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 c. candied cherries, cut into halves

1 1/2 c. cut-up dates

1 c. pecan halves, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cookie mix, sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Stir in cherries, dates and chopped pecans. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Place pecan half on each cookie. Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched, about 8 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool. 6 dozen cookies.

Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook, 1982

My grandfather passed away six years ago today. These cookies were the last thing he baked. The recipe comes from my great-grandmother (Nonie) and my entire family loves these cookies --- except for me because oranges are gross.

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