Chewy Molasses Cookies

Is it too late for a Christmas cookie?

If it is, I understand.  I hope you'll consider this as you're choosing a Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, or random January afternoon cookie.  Chewy grain-free molasses cookies work anytime.

Normally I don't love cookies unless there's chocolate or caramel involved, but I've made an exception here.  There's something about the rich flavor of molasses in a chewy cookie with a hint of crunch from a coating of sparkling sugar that I can really get into.

Pumpkin Cake with Molasses Cream (Paleo, Gluten-free)

It is only September 21st, and I may already be tired of pumpkin.

I mean, "tired" is a little extreme--I probably just need one week off, and then I'll be ready to get back on the pumpkin train.

The reason is that I had to make this pumpkin cake four or five times.  The first time, I tried to make a vegan version using flax eggs.  I baked the cake for a long, long time, but it still did not set completely.  It had a fabulous flavor, but it was like a pudding-cake.  After cutting off a few slices, the rest of the loaf couldn't even hold itself together, and slumped into the delicious pumpkin version of an old, dilapidated house.

The next time I made it, it ended up staying in the oven for over three hours (not on purpose).  You can see it here (and I'd be thrilled if you followed me on Instagram!).  The third time, I substituted molasses for the honey, and the cake was so dark that it looked burnt even though it wasn't.  I wanted a nice orange color, at least on the inside of the cake, so I tried a fourth time.  I loved the molasses flavor, so I used it in the glaze, along with some creme fraiche (my new favorite thing).  Finally, I got a cake I loved!  It's still very moist, but it hasn't fallen apart yet.  The molasses cream and pecans really take it over the top.  If you're not a nut person, you could try adding a similar amount of chocolate chunks.  I added them to the first batch and it was fabulous.

So, hopefully you're not tired of pumpkin!  I promise to feature a different main ingredient in my next recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free)

Did you know there was once a molasses flood in Boston?  A five-story high molasses tank exploded on an unusually hot day in 1919 and surged through the North End, destroying a fire station and leaving a path of sticky destruction in its wake.  Some say that when the weather is really warm, you can still smell the molasses on the city streets almost 100 years later.

I was fascinated by the molasses flood as a kid and did a report on it in elementary school.  I think that was the last time I thought about molasses, though, because I almost never cook with it.  But, while making a failed batch of pumpkin bread over the weekend, I ran out of honey and needed another sweetener.  The molasses in the back of my cupboard seemed like just the thing, and it was (the pumpkin bread only failed because I asked Ben to watch it for me, and it ended up baking for almost three hours).  Molasses has a spicy flavor that goes really well with pumpkin, and contributes to this ice cream's rich orange color.  I did a little research and there seems to be some debate as to whether molasses is truly paleo, but I'm sure that this ice cream would still be delicious if you added more honey instead, or even tried maple syrup.