Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies, And My Summer Vacation!

You know when you get together with friends, and you are glad to see them and are looking forward to getting down to talking about whatever it is you want to talk to them about, but first you have to suffer through their vacation pictures?  Think of this as the blog version of that.  I have a wicked good molasses chocolate chip cookie recipe to tell you about, but first....

My vacation.  :)

Every year we go to my favorite, favorite place in the world, which is the beautiful green mountains of Vermont.  If you really want to know how much I love this place, you can click here, or here.  If you don't, just take a look at this picture to see why.

I love both the gorgeous blue-green mountains AND the cows with equal amounts of love.  Which is good, because Vermont has a ton of both.  Here's our little piece of paradise, otherwise known as the cabin.  Where there is no cell phone service.  Or paved roads.  Nothing but corn and cows and quiet.

And this spectacular view from the south window, which makes me cry when I get there and cry when I leave.

Did I mention the cows?

This was breakfast.  Still warm off the vine.  Nothing else needed.

And here are my favorite chairs in the entire world, facing that view.



Anyway, going to Vermont always reminds me of my grandmother, and her amazing molasses cookies, and so when I found this recipe for molasses cookies with chocolate chunks on the fabulous Joy The Baker site RIGHT before I headed up there, I knew I had to make 'em.  And while my grandma's will always be my favorite recipe, these were pretty wonderful too!

Did I mention there were cows?

Here's the recipe.  :)

Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies, adapted slightly from Joy The Baker, who adapted it from Alton Brown.

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon dark molasses, not blackstrap
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks
sea salt for sprinkling on top of cookies just before baking

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mix the granulated sugar and molasses until no large molasses clumps remain. 

Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the homemade brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for about 20 minutes, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets.  Lightly sprinkle each dough ball with a few flecks of sea salt.  

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Click here for printable recipe