The cookies are cake-like consistency and found in many local bakeries in Utica, New York, one, in particular, I remember as a child was Hemstroughts bakery.
These simple old fashioned molasses cookies were fragrant with sweet molasses, spices, and a little more fluffy than any chewy versions of these cookies.
The batter is not thick like other cookie recipes but so much more of a cake batter that bakes up light and fluffy.
They were dropped by tablespoons on the cookie sheet and made into round soft molasses cakes and perfectly round.
I loved the addition of powdered sugar on top but they didn't need a thing and go perfectly with milk, coffee, or tea.
To this day I still have no idea why they were called wine drop cookies but mom always said molasses is good for you so she made several versions using that delicious sweet syrup.
If you love molasses do try these and some of our other family old-style favorites like Pumpkin Spice, and of course the Old Fashioned Chewy Style Molasses Cookies.
Scroll down to get this easy homemade scratch cookie recipe and it's printable!
Wine Drop Cookies
If you love a cinnamon spice soft cookie, these are what you're looking for.
A vintage recipe that was thrown together in the 1940s with the basic ingredients they had.
Looking for a chewy cookie, these won't be the right molasses cookie.
The cookies are a very vintage old soft cookie recipe that is super simple to make.
Optional Additions(using 1/2 cup)
- raisins
- peanut butter chips
- white or chocolate chips
- craisins
- nuts of any kind
- chopped dates
- coconut
Tips
- try cinnamon and sugar mixture on top before baking
- drop by a tablespoon and swirl to keep the batter rounded
- do not over bake the cookies
- leave them plain or sprinkle with powdered sugar
- bake until middle springs back and is set
- do not stack these on top of each other
- cookies freeze well on wax paper in between them
- add granulated sugar on before baking if preferred
- always preheat the oven
- the batter is not like cookie batter it's more like cake batter
- this recipe will easily double for more cookies as it makes around 20 large cookies
Several Garnishing Ideas
- drizzled with icing can be made on top after baking
- cinnamon and sugar before baking
- powdered sugar after baking
- white sugar before baking
- topped with colored sugars or sprinkles for a holiday theme on top of the icing
Ingredients You Will Need(scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements)
- molasses
- egg
- butter-flavored Crisco or regular
- baking soda
- salt
- flour
- buttermilk
- ginger, cinnamon, or allspice
Tools
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- tablespoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- bowl
- spatula
- mixing spoons
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Addicting Cookies
Again I do want to say, these are like round molasses cakes, and very soft, they will not be a crunchy or chewy cookie, and there is no wine in them.
Seriously, these smell fabulous baking and perfect when you want that fall scent of cinnamon to welcome the cooler months.
Why these called wine cookies I always wonder, well they really are an easier version of molasses cookies. The batter is much simpler to make, as it is a dump and mix style batter.
Yield: 20
Wine Drop Cookies
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 22 Min
Back in the 1950s, these popular soft cake-like cookies called wine drops were soft with molasses and baked with no wine in them. Mom always said they were good for us.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco or regular shortening
- 1/2 cup dark molasses
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk ( I didn't have any so I used 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar in a cup of whole milk)
- 1 - 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 -1/4 cups flour leveled and fluffed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat mat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, do not add cookie sheet with batter until the oven reaches temperature or they won't rise or cook evenly.
- In a large bowl beat together the sugar and shortening to creamy.
- Add beaten eggs, molasses, and vanilla and mix to combine evenly.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, allspice cinnamon, ginger until well-blended set-aside.
- Slowing add in the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and blend together until evenly mixed together.
- Drop by round tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake only until the middles springs back around 12 minutes depending on how big you make them.
- This makes approximately 20 large cookies.
Calories
196.57Fat (grams)
6.04Sat. Fat (grams)
3.43Carbs (grams)
32.73Fiber (grams)
0.73Net carbs
32.00Sugar (grams)
16.95Protein (grams)
3.20Sodium (milligrams)
154.90Cholesterol (grams)
31.65Pin for later
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