When I was a child, I used to dream about visiting Disneyland. We had next door neighbors who shared a driveway with us, and they had travelled just about everywhere. They had decals from all the places that they had been to on the back windows of their station wagon to prove it.
I can remember standing on the driveway and respectfully admiring all of those decals, but the one which I admired most was the one from Disneyland, complete with its Magic Castle and Tinkerbell.
As an adult I still have not been to the Magic Kingdom, and I seriously doubt that I will ever visit it now. My days of riding on roller coasters and the like are far behind me.
That doesn't mean I cannot enjoy some of the tasty foods that people get to indulge in when they are there, however. I have a thing for copycat recipes, and I love cookies. When I saw this recipe for Molasses Crackle Cookies, said to be from the Magic Kingdom, I just HAD to try it out!
At first glance, the recipe appeared to be very similar to the Ginger Crinkle Cookie recipe that I used to bake for my children from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook that I had when they were growing up. We all loved those cookies. The first tray of them out of the oven used to disappear into thin air. (I am not admitting anything!)
Upon closer inspection however, I noted one major difference. The recipe used vegetable oil instead of shortening. (I used light olive oil myself as that is the only vegetable oil I have in my house.) I have a lot of older recipes I don't cook anymore because they use shortening and I have pretty much banned it from my diet.
The method of putting them together was also slightly different, probably due to the use of oil in the batter. They did go together very quickly and easily.
The sugar coating on these is generous, giving them a lovely sparky crust when done. The flavors are spot on. I did decrease the cloves and added a bit of cardamom as I enjoy cardamom in any type of molasses bake. It goes wonderfully with the smoky warmth and sweetness of the molasses.
Altogether this was one really delicious cookie recipe. The majority of them were gifted to my church to give to the Father's in the branch on Father's Day. I did keep back a couple for myself to enjoy with a hot drink. Not quite as exciting as visiting the magic kingdom in person, but a whole lot cheaper, and I didn't have to wait in any lineups! 😁 Prepare to fall in love.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MOLASSES CRACKLE COOKIES
Just a few simple store cupboard ingredients. Nothing more and nothing less.
- 1 cup (210g/237ml) light olive oil
- 2 1/4 cups (430g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup (115.5g/78ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 TBS baking soda (yes that is correct)
- 1 TBS ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 3 cups (375g) plain, all-purpose flour, unsifted
You could use any flavorless vegetable oil. I used light olive oil as it is the only oil I keep in the house aside from EVOO. You could use canola, grapeseed, etc.
Use regular table molasses, not black strap, or dark treacle (in the U.K.). Dark treacle and molasses are not the same thing. If you cannot get regular molasses and are in the U.K. mix together equal parts of dark and light treacle to give you the same amount of molasses needed.
You can leave out the ground cardamon if you wish and just replace it with an additional 1/4 tsp of cloves.
Large eggs here in North America would be considered medium eggs in the U.K.
Large eggs here in North America would be considered medium eggs in the U.K.
Do NOT use self-rising flour.
HOW TO MAKE MOLASSES CRACKLE COOKIES
These are a really simple make. They go together very quickly. The messiest part is rolling the dough into balls, but hands are a tool which is easily cleaned!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line two large baking sheets with some baking parchment. Set aside.
Measure out 1/2 cup (96g) of the sugar into a small bowl and set aside. Put the remainder into a large bowl.
Add the oil to the sugar in the large bowl and cream the two really well together. Beat in the egg and the molasses until well combined.
Sift the flour together with the spices and the baking soda. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients a third at a time until all of the dry ingredients have been thoroughly amalgamated.
Scoop out the dough and roll into balls that are 2 inches in size. Roll the balls in the granulated sugar in the small bowl and set onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 2-inches in between each ball.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container. These can also be frozen.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT COOKIES
1. Baking is an exact science, so you should take care when measuring ingredients. Flour should be spooned into the cup and then leveled off with the flat edge of a ruler or knife. The best way to measure is by weight as weights never change, whereas cups can vary quite a bit in size and measurements.
2. Have all of your ingredients at room temperature. This is especially important when it comes to creaming fats and sugars together. Using room temperature ingredients helps to incorporate more air into the dough. Also, if your eggs are at room temperature, they will incorporate better and whip up fluffier.
3. When creaming make sure the mixture is well creamed, light and fluffy and not granular in appearance. If the sugar has dissolved properly the mixture will not be granular. This is what you want.
4. Take care not to overmix your dough as this will toughen your cookies. Once you start to add the flour/dry ingredients, only mix until well combined and no dry streaks remain.
5. Preheat your oven to the correct temperature before beginning.
6. Use cold baking sheets and allow them to cool back down in between batches.
7. Leave plenty of space between your cookies as you place them on the baking sheet. Do NOT crowd them. This will allow for air to circulate properly between them. Anywhere from 2 inches to 3 inches depending on the cookie spread is recommended.
8. Use only the freshest of ingredients for the best flavor and level of success. Old out of date ingredients taste stale and nasty. Out of date baking powder and soda will not give you a good rise. I always break my eggs into a separate bowl before adding just to make sure they are okay. You can check the fizz of baking powder and soda by adding a bit to warm water first.
These were really gorgeous cookies and oh-so-tasty! Even four days later. I loved the warmth of the spices in them and the crunch of the sugar coating on the outside.
Fabulous served with a cold glass of milk, or a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Ideal with a hot cup of tea for dunking. These also freeze very well. Pack into an airtight container with some baking paper in between the layers for up to three months!
Are you as much of a cookie monster as I am? If so, I think I also might be able to tempt you with the following delicious cookie recipes!
MAPLE PECAN COOKIES - Pure Maple Syrup pairs up with a generous amount of toasted pecan nuts in these delicious cookies! These are a cookie with nice crisp edges and chewy middles. The toasted nuts add a delightful crunch. Glazed with a cream cheese drizzle glaze that is entirely optional, these always go down a real treat!
LEMON CURD COOKIES - These might well be one of my all-time favorite cookies! These lush and buttery shortbread cookies are flavored through and through with lemon from the inside out. Crispy edged and dimpled with lemon curd centers, they are real lemon winners! They are drizzled with a lemon drizzle glaze for even more lemon flavor! The perfect teatime cookie! As pretty as they are delicious!
Yield: 30 sugar crusted cookies
Magic Kingdom Molasses Crackles
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 32 Min
Sweet sugar crusted cookies made with wonderfully warm baking spices and the smoky sweetness of molasses. Its nigh on impossible to eat just one!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup (210g/237ml) light olive oil
- 2 1/4 cups (430g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup (115.5g/78ml) molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 TBS baking soda (yes that is correct)
- 1 TBS ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 3 cups (375g) plain, all-purpose flour, unsifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Line two large baking sheets with some baking parchment. Set aside.
- Measure out 1/2 cup (96g) of the sugar into a small bowl and set aside. Put the remainder into a large bowl.
- Add the oil to the sugar in the large bowl and cream the two really well together. Beat in the egg and the molasses until well combined.
- Sift the flour together with the spices and the baking soda. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients a third at a time until all of the dry ingredients have been thoroughly amalgamated.
- Scoop out the dough and roll into balls that are 2 inches in size. Roll the balls in the granulated sugar in the small bowl and set onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 2-inches in between each ball.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container. These can also be frozen.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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I knew I was going to have an extremely busy day the other day and so I threw dinner into the crock pot/slow cooker in the morning so that I would have a tasty meal ready and waiting for me when I was ready to eat. No fuss, no muss, and not a lot of effort involved.
I really rely on my crock pot/slow cooker, especially in the warmer months. It is something that allows me to cook a really tasty dinner without heating up my kitchen overly much, plus it is convenient as well. I can just pop what I am cooking into it and then get on with whatever it is I have to do with my day.
I also love using it on Sundays. It was a life saver when my children were growing up. I could get everything ready and into the crockpot early in the day and feel confident knowing that my starving babies were going to have a delicious and filling meal waiting for them when we got home from church.
I don't think there is anything more enticing than the aroma of a tasty home cooked meal wafting into your nostrils as soon as you walk into the house! I don't know about your kids but mine were always clambering to be fed as soon as we got home from church! The crock pot/slow cooker was always my best friend when it came to that!
You end up with a really rich and creamy, perfectly cooked macaroni and cheese, studded generously with nice sized bites of smoky ham. I adapted the recipe from one that I found in the Fix It and Forget It Cooking for Two: 150 small-batch slow cooker Recipes cookbook that I have on my kindle. This is the first recipe that I have cooked from it, and it did make four servings, not two.
I added an optional buttered cracker crumb topping to mine because I think casseroles like this deserve a buttered cracker crumb topping.
This was delicious. Quick and easy to make and very satisfying. It would be lovely served with a side salad to complete the meal. A salad is also something you can have ready in the refrigerator, just awaiting its dressing.
Talk about mealtime convenience!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CROCK POT HAM & MACARONI DINNER
Five simple ingredients (exclusive of the topping) and a crock pot/slow cooker. That's all.
- 1 cup (120g) grated strong cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
- 1 cup (116g) uncooked macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
- 1 can (10 1/2 ounces/297g) condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soup
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) cooked ham cubed (I used a small ham steak)
Optional Crumb Topping
- 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crumbled (8 single crackers)
- 1 TBS butter, melted
I used elbow macaroni. It was the Catelli, high fiber one. Whole milk and full fat cheese will add a nice touch of richness. That is what I used.
You can use any type of cheese you wish. I had sharp cheddar, orange, in the house and that is what I used.
For the ham I used a small ham steak (President's Choice) which I cut into 1/2 inch cubes. They come 1 in a pack and that is perfect for this recipe. At only $4.39 they are an economical choice, and they taste great. You could also use leftover ham if you wished.
I used condensed cream of chicken soup as that is what I had, and it worked perfectly.
For those of you are in the U.K. Condensed soup is a type of soup that you need to add a liquid to in order to reconstitute it so that it can be eaten as soup. The brand that I used to use in the U.K. was Batchelor's condensed soup.
It is a very convenient product to have in your store cupboard, but if you are a person who loathes this sort of thing, you can always make your own substitute.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT HAM & MACARONI DINNER
Nothing could be easier. Simply add it all to the crock pot/slow cooker, stir and cook. Do make the optional buttered cracker crumb topping if you can. It adds extra interest and texture.
I used a 2QT slow cooker, which is a smaller one. Spray it with some non-stick cooking spray.
Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Give them a stir to combine well.
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
To make the optional cracker crumb topping. Mix the crumbled crackers with the melted butter.
Spread out on a small baking sheet and bake in a 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4 oven for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown.
Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs over top to serve.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR CROCK POT COOKERY
Here are all my hints and tips for success when cooking in the crock pot/slow cooker.
1. Slow cookers work best when they are 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full so choose the size of the crock pot carefully when deciding to cook a recipe. You may need to increase the cook time if you have exceeded that amount or decrease the cook time if you have put in less than that amount.
2. Put any vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. This puts them in more direct contact with the heat of the slow cooker. You can mix everything together later.
3. The fuller your slow cooker, the longer it will take its contents to cook. Also, the more densely packed the cooker's contents are, the longer they will need to cook. Also, the larger the chunks of meat or vegetables, the more time they will need to cook.
4. Keep the lid on. Every time you lift the lid to peek you lose 20 minutes of cook time. That is why most slow cookers/crock pots have a glass lid. So that you can check on the contents without lifting the lid.
5. Sometimes it is beneficial to remove the lid. If you want your dish to thicken up a bit, take the lid off during the last half hour of cook time. This will help it to thicken.
6. Remember the outside of your crock pot/slow cooker will be hot. Be cautious. This applies to children or for yourself.
7. A quick read meat thermometer is a handy tool to have. This will help remove the question of whether or not your meat is fully cooked and will also prevent you from over cooking your meat.
8. The basic rule of thumb is to NOT put frozen meat into the slow cooker. Meat will not reach the proper internal temperature in time. This especially applies to thick cuts of meat. Proceed with caution is the way to go!
9. Add any fresh herbs 10 minutes before the end of cooking time to maximize their flavor.
10. If you have a recipe which calls for adding cooked pasta, add it 10 minutes prior to the end of cook time if cooking on high, 30 minutes if cooking on low. That way it won't get mushy.
11. If you are using a recipe which calls for adding sour cream or cream, stir it in 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, just to heat through. That way it won't split or curdle.
I was really pleased with how this came out. I had not expected it to come out nearly as good as it did. The sauce was rich, creamy and cheese, and thickened up considerably upon standing.
I was a bit concerned that the macaroni would either be too soft or that it would be too hard, but it was just perfect.
Do make the cracker crumb topping if you can. It adds a bit of visual interest and some buttery crunch.
Altogether I quite enjoyed this!! A salad or vegetable and some crusty bread would work well on the side.
If you are as big a fan as I am of cooking in the crock pot, then the following recipe options might also interest you! I promise you that they are delicious!
CROCK POT MONGOLIAN BEEF - Tasty, tender and totally hands off. Tender pieces of beef with decidedly oriental flavors. Delicious served over rice with some of the tasty cooking juices spooned over top and a garnish of spring onions.
CROCK POT HAM, BEANS & POTATOES - This is an old, old recipe gleaned from a Mennonite Community Cookery book many moons ago. It's such a simple dish and yet so delicious! Proof positive that food doesn't have to be complicated to taste good. Everything simply gets layered in the crock pot and then cooked. This is an old family favorite!
Yield: 4 servings
Ham & Macaroni Dinner
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 5 M
This might not look like much, but it is delicious. This makes a great meal for those days when you know you are going to be too busy to spend much time cooking a meal!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) grated strong cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
- 1 cup (116g) uncooked macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
- 1 can (10 1/2 ounces/297g) condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soup
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) cooked ham cubed (I used a small ham steak)
Optional Crumb Topping
- 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crumbled (8 single crackers)
- 1 TBS butter, melted
Instructions
- I used a 2QT slow cooker, which is a smaller one. Spray it with some non-stick cooking spray.
- Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Give them a stir to combine well.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
- To make the optional cracker crumb topping. Mix the crumbled crackers with the melted butter.
- Spread out on a small baking sheet and bake in a 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4 oven for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown.
- Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs over top to serve.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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