Murder Cookies Recipe
Here’s the rule about murder cookies: you don’t talk about murder cookies.
Just kidding. Here’s the real background about the so-called murder cookies that have taken the Internet by storm: there is a really cool subreddit on Reddit called r/Old_Recipes where users post photos of their tried and true old family recipes. I love this subreddit because as a baker, it’s cool to see what your grandma’s grandma was baking up in her kitchen back in the day. This subreddit has also taught me that old cookbooks are goldmines for Easter eggs like this Elephant stew recipe. Have you tried this? Please report back!
One day, a reddit user shared that they were researching a murder that took place in their house, and during their research they discovered a recipe for Scotch cookies. Apparently their old neighbor owned a bakery and this recipe for their Scotch cookies was their recipe of the year. But, because this cookie recipe was uncovered due to a murder, Redditors started calling them murder cookies and the name has stuck ever since.
So, what are murder cookies? Murder cookies are molasses-y spice cookies that are soft, chewy, and get their flavor from cinnamon and mace (aka nutmeg). I had never tried a cookie like this before (and I like to think of myself as a cookie connoisseur) so when I saw that murder cookies were trending I immediately saved the recipe and promised to make them later. Well folks, later is today.
These cookies are GOOD. I can’t even describe how delicious they smell when they’re baking in the oven. When I first saw photos of these cookies I assumed they would be chocolatey but they actually get their brown color from molasses. The combination of molasses and shortening in place of butter makes this cookie super soft and chewy. They taste just as good the next day as they do when they’re freshly baked.
I also really like that murder cookies are naturally already almost vegan. The recipe calls for an egg, which is easy to swap out with a flax egg. Shortening is just oil, and the difference between using shortening and butter in cookies is that shortening makes for a softer, more crumbly cookie whereas butter makes cookies more rich and crisp. Both are great, it just depends on what texture you’re in the mood for at the time. I personally don’t bake with shortening because it’s not great for you (not that butter is either, but I trust shortening even less), but I was faithful to Reddit’s murder cookie recipe and stuck with the shortening.
Ready to see what the hype is all about? The recipe for murder cookies is right here!
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 c white sugar
1 c shortening
1/4 c molasses
1 flax egg
3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c non-dairy milk
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Cream together the sugar, shortening, molasses, and flax egg in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add in all remaining ingredients, drizzling in the milk last.
Drop the dough by the spoonful on the baking sheet, and press down to flatten. These cookies will spread a lot so make sure you leave at least 2 inches between each cookie!
Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.