What is Molasses Used for in Baking? (2024)

FAQs

What does molasses do for baking? ›

In baking, molasses imparts robust flavor to spice cookies, gingerbread and some cakes. Another one of its unique properties? It attracts water, meaning it helps bread, cake or cookie recipes turn out soft and stay fresh longer.

Molasses adds moisture and color to baked goods like pecan pie, and it thickens up barbecue sauce for meat like pulled pork. Some other ways to use molasses in cooking include: 1. Syrup: Light molasses can be a substitute for maple syrup, drizzled over pancakes or to sweeten a bowl of oatmeal.

Light molasses is the liquid that remains after the first white sugar is extracted from cane juice. The flavor is lighter and has more fruity notes to it, in the same way the first pressing of olives makes a lighter, fruitier olive oil. Light (sometimes called "fancy") molasses is ideal for baked goods and candies.

The lighter grades of molasses made from sugarcane are edible and are used in baking and candy-making and to make rum. Blackstrap and other low grades of cane molasses are used in mixed animal feed and in the industrial production of vinegar, citric acid, and other products.

Molasses is best kept at room temperature between 10°C to 21°C (50 – 70°F). The shelf life of molasses is generally 18 months when kept below 21°C and under reasonably steady conditions of temperature and humidity. Refrigeration or freezing may crystallize the natural sugars and therefore is not recommended.

There's no cut-and-dry answer to the question of whether molasses goes bad. If you store it in a cool, dark place, it could last for years without obvious signs of spoilage (like mold or an off scent). If the molasses was exposed to moisture or air, the chances of it spoiling sooner go up.

Molasses are richer than honey in many minerals and vitamins, including iron, calcium, potassium, and B. It also contains more antioxidants than honey, which itself is high in antioxidants such as vitamins A and E. In addition, molasses is lower in calories than honey.

Dark, sticky molasses adds a sweet, almost smoky flavor to cookies and cakes, plus it pairs perfectly with winter spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg!

Possible risks. Blackstrap molasses contains very high levels of the chemical acrylamide, which may be carcinogenic (19). Acrylamide forms in foods when sugars and the amino acid asparagine are subjected to certain high heat cooking methods, such as frying, roasting, and baking ( 20 ).

Since it's a byproduct of sugar, you might not expect molasses to be high in nutrients, but it's a surprising source of some minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron. While molasses is not something to eat on its own, it makes a nutritious substitute for refined sugar in some recipes.

Is grandma's molasses considered blackstrap molasses? ›

Note: This is not blackstrap molasses. Grandma's molasses is a mild molasses from the first processing of the sugar cane and has a relatively high sugar content, while blackstrap molasses is the remnant from the third processing and has the maximum amount of sugar removed.

Molasses is a thick, dark syrup made during the sugar-making process. First, the sugar cane is crushed and the juice is extracted. The juice is then boiled to form sugar crystals and removed from the liquid. The thick, brown syrup left after removing the sugar from the juice is molasses.

Many people use blackstrap molasses in place of refined sugars for health reasons. They're lower on the glycemic index than conventional sweeteners, which means they won't spike your blood sugar as much. This makes blackstrap molasses a great alternative for people working to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Molasses imparts a dark color and strong flavor to baked foods, but is not as sweet as sugar. When substituting molasses for sugar, use 1 1/3 cups molasses for 1 cup sugar, and reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 5 tablespoons.

Doubling up on molasses softened the cookies significantly.

Molasses is also extremely dark in color, so this batch of cookies turned out to be a deep brown.