Molasses Balls Recipes

GRAMMY CARL'S POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with wax paper; set aside. Place the popcorn in a large bowl; set aside.
• In a heavy medium pot, stir to combine the molasses, sugar, butter and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture reaches 260 degrees F (hard ball stage) on a candy thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then pour over the popcorn; fold and mix to coat using a rubber spatula. Let the popcorn cool slightly.
• Coat your hands well with butter and form the popcorn mixture into 1/2-cup balls, squeezing to keep the popcorn together. Place on the prepared baking sheet and let sit until completely cooled and hardened, about 20 minutes.

POP'S MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS AND TAFFY

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl, with room for mixing. Fill another bowl with ice water. Butter several plates, one per each person who will be pulling taffy.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, molasses, water, butter, and salt in a large 6-quart saucepan over medium heat; attach a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Tip the pan slightly to melt the sugar crystals on the sides, scraping down with a wooden spoon. Heat until the mixture registers 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 155 degrees C) on the thermometer or until a small amount of syrup drizzled into cold water turns hard, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour about 1 cup syrup onto each buttered plate. Let cool until safe to handle like a hot potato, 3 to 5 minutes. Pull syrup between your hands until a light golden brown color is achieved; the longer you pull it, the lighter it becomes. Twist into a long rope about 3/4-inch thick and place on back on a buttered plate to let taffy harden and cool. Break the hardened taffy apart.
• Pour the remaining hot syrup carefully over popcorn, while someone else quickly stirs the batch. Butter your hands and dip them in the ice water; working quickly to avoid burns and before taffy hardens, grab some of the popcorn mixture and form into a 3-inch ball. Repeat with the remaining popcorn.

MOLASSES COOKIES II

Steps:

• Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Stir in egg and molasses and mix well. Fold in dry ingredients and stir. Cover and chill until firm (1 - 2 hours).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll dough into small balls (I use a small melon baller to help with this) and roll in white sugar. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake 9 - 10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheet one minute until set.

MOLASSES BUTTERBALLS

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and molasses. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Roll cooled cookies in confectioners' sugar.

MOLASSES BALLS

Steps:

• Combine the first three ingredients then add flour and salt.
• Mix well then add pecans.
• Roll dough in small balls the size of walnuts.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 oven.
• While warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar.

MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Combine molasses, sugar and butter or margarine in a 2 quart saucepan. Dissolve sugar by stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture forms a hard but not brittle ball when dropped in cold water. Stir constantly. Dribble syrup over popped corn stirring to coat all. Make balls with buttered hands when cool. Wrap in waxed paper.