Canada (Quebec): Galette a Mélasse

Kimberly Stromei

Galette a Mélasse : Québec

In my family our traditional desert or snack around Christmas is Galette a Mélasse (Molasses cookies). Molasses cookies are a French-Canadian treat. I decided to share this recipe because Molasses cookies are my favourite kind of cookie and they are incredibly delicious. Our tradition of always have Molasses cookies around Christmas time first started with my great-grandmother. When my mother was young my great-grandmother would make batches of cookies and put them in a Christmas designed tin box so that they would have a special treat while opening their presents on Christmas morning. My great-grandmother passed this recipe down to my grandmother which then passed it down to my mother. My mother has made these cookies every Christmas since I can remember. I have gotten to experiences the same joys of eating my molasses cookie while opening my Christmas presents like my mom and most likely like my grandmother did when they were young. Now my mom has passed down this recipe down to me and she no longer is in charge of making our wonderful molasses cookies for Christmas because I make them every year now. This recipe is a recipe that my grandmother created and it hasn’t been changed in the slightest bit. This is the first time our family’s molasses cookie recipe has been shared with someone outside the family. I guarantee that these cookies are everything you are looking for and will enjoy the taste of these sweet spiced molasses cookies.

THE RECIPE

·         Ingredients

• ½ cup of margarine
• ½ cup of sugar
• ¾ cup of molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 ½ cups of flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ cup water

·         Procedure

Start oven at 400˚F

1. Using electric hand mixer, mix the margarine with sugar until it reaches a light mousse. Then add the molasses and the egg with the margarine and sugar; mix well.
2. In another bowl, add the dry ingredients in the following order starting with the flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt, mix well.
3. In a small cup, dissolve the baking soda into the water.
4. Slowly add the mixture of margarine, sugar, molasses and egg into the mixture of dry ingredients.  Hand mix with spatula. Add only a little at a time and mix well. Add the baking soda water in small quantities to make mixture less dry and easier to mix.  Continue doing this till all of the mixtures are added together to make one.
5. Once mixture is made, on greased cooking sheets (pans) use a tablespoon to scoop mixture onto the pan.
6. Cook in the oven for about 10 minutes.
7. Once done, put cookies on a grill to allow them to cool down.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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