Why it works: Molasses and ginger are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,116 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the dough
In a baking bowl, combine the molasses.
In a saucepan, bring the shortening, baking soda, and water to a boil.
Pour the boiling mixture over the molasses.
Add the salt, ginger, and beaten egg; mix thoroughly.
Stiffen the mixture with pastry flour until desired consistency.
Bake
Bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven until done.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Molasses + gingertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,116 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Ginger + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,564 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Molasses + flourtop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,429 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Ginger + eggtop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together7,337 recipes
Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).
Egg and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 106,462 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Molasses
- Provides the main sweetness, dark color, and rich flavor of the cookies.
- Shortening
- Adds fat for tenderness and a soft, moist crumb.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the molasses's acidity to lighten the dough and help it rise.
- Egg
- Binds the dough and adds structure and richness.
- Pastry flour
- Gives structure and firms the dough to the desired consistency.
The step that matters
Pour the boiling mixture over the molasses. Boiling the baking soda with the shortening and water activates it so it reacts with the molasses's acid. Pouring it hot ensures the reaction and blending happen evenly, giving a lighter texture.
Swap the ginger
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (molasses, egg, flour):
- Jalapenofits better
- Cinnamonfits better
- Nutmegfits better
- Gingerthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against molasses, egg, flour. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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