Monday, November 3, 2008

Molasses Cookies with Sugar Babies

Sugar Babies were among my favorite Halloween treats to acquire when I was a young trick-or-treater. You don't see them around too much anymore. Stores with well-stocked candy sections will carry them, and places like video stores and movie theaters have the super-sized boxes. If you're lucky, you may find some among your children's Halloween loot. This is an excellent recipe for caramel lovers as well as purveyors of chewy cookies: Molasses Cookies with Sugar Babies.

You may be more familiar with the Sugar Daddy. (Kind of a funny side note... some interesting things came up when I googled "sugar daddy"!) The Sugar Daddy originated in 1925 as a caramel lollipop that was dubbed the "big daddy" of all lollipops. The Sugar Daddy got a Sugar Mama in 1935 and Sugar Babies followed the same year. The babies are like little caramel-filled, chewy jelly beans.

When you add them to a molasses cookie batter, they melt inside the cookies to create a chewy, caramelly texture. As I rolled the dough into little balls with those jellybean-like babies prominent in every spoonful, I was a little skeptical how well they would incorporate into the dough.

No worries... they fit in just fine. A few of them did this... just a few. I actually liked these rejects the best anyway as that pool of caramel is a crispy, tasty little treat (and if you don't like it so much it just breaks off anyways). These were a big hit at a recent playdate... with both the adults and the kids.

The cookies were still good days later... still remained chewy (think- caramel!) And they were really good dipped in MILK.

This recipe can be found HERE.
at

49 comments:

  1. HeleneNovember 3, 2008 at 12:04 AM

    Just wanted to wish you a very very happy birthday!!
    Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ~~louise~~November 3, 2008 at 5:30 AM

    Ingenious!

    Thanks for sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  3. ManggyNovember 3, 2008 at 5:41 AM

    Again, Happy birthday Lori! :) I've never seen Sugar Babies before-- they sound awesome. But I am loving your cookies even more! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Barbara BakesNovember 3, 2008 at 6:13 AM

    I've never seen Sugar Babies used in baking. I'm going to have to give it a try!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousNovember 3, 2008 at 6:13 AM

    Oh wow! This looks delicious! I love Sugar Babies, they sometimes don't like me though. If I chew them on the wrong too, all that sugar just hurts!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. ShelbyNovember 3, 2008 at 6:17 AM

    I think I would love these as Sugar Babies are one of my go to candies when I need chewy, caramely, goodness with no chocolate involved!

    ReplyDelete
  7. HeatherNovember 3, 2008 at 6:19 AM

    happy birthday! these look great!! i loooove caramel :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. JonNovember 3, 2008 at 6:35 AM

    I love sugar babies but I only eat them once every couple of years.

    Great idea adding them to cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  9. CathyNovember 3, 2008 at 7:00 AM

    This is a great recipe for using up those Sugar Babies. I love molasses cookies. Any ideas for Junior Mints? Even I can eat only so many of those.

    ReplyDelete
  10. RecipeGirlNovember 3, 2008 at 7:09 AM

    Hi Cathy-
    Junior Mints would be great in brownies!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Snooky doodleNovember 3, 2008 at 7:16 AM

    these look so nice :) do you think i can use black treacle instead of molasses ?

    ReplyDelete
  12. RecipeGirlNovember 3, 2008 at 7:25 AM

    SnookyDoodle- I'm sorry I'm not familiar at all with black treacle!

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousNovember 3, 2008 at 7:27 AM

    Can't wait to try these - now I need to go find me some Sugar Babies!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousNovember 3, 2008 at 8:05 AM

    Oh, what "sweet" childhood memories! I too, loved Sugar Babies as a kid. I don't eat hardly any sugar now, but Halloween sure brings back some memories. You know I love candy corn, too! What about lemon heads?

    Thanks for the recipe! The cookies look terrific.

    LilSis
    www.bigsislilsis.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. MegNovember 3, 2008 at 8:31 AM

    Yum! What a fabulous flavor combination. I think I need to go buy a bag of sugar babies now!

    ReplyDelete
  16. MariaNovember 3, 2008 at 9:04 AM

    I haven't had sugar babies in years!! the cookies look good. I am loving your ideas to use up Halloween candy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. RoxanneNovember 3, 2008 at 9:20 AM

    My dad loves Sugar Daddys and we would always give him them from our Halloween bags. I'm going to have to make him these cookies now.

    If Sugar Daddys were the lolipop, and Sugar Babies are the little drops, what were Sugar Mamas?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Susan from Food BloggaNovember 3, 2008 at 9:24 AM

    I used to love Sugar Babies. I seriously can't remember the last time I had them. I just posted on baking with leftover Halloween candy too!

    ReplyDelete
  19. PatsykNovember 3, 2008 at 9:29 AM

    I haven't seen those in years! I will have to go searching for a box so I can make these cookies... I love that they melt right into the cookie. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  20. La Cuisine d'HeleneNovember 3, 2008 at 11:18 AM

    I can't resist any molasses cookies. When you say: 4 onces (1 stick) at room temp. Is it butter?

    ReplyDelete
  21. JoanNovember 3, 2008 at 11:29 AM

    OH I love sugar babies and how cool that they have their own recipe now! I used to call my girls sugar babies when they were babies! I love that post!

    ReplyDelete
  22. CookiePieNovember 3, 2008 at 11:52 AM

    Another fabulous leftover-candy idea! And I agree -- the "rejects" with the little caramel pools sticking out look like the best ones to me :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Clumbsy CookieNovember 3, 2008 at 11:53 AM

    I never tried sugar babies, we don't get them here, but the cookies sure look great. I'm sure I'd like them! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  24. michael, claudia and sierraNovember 3, 2008 at 2:32 PM

    ok so this is brilliant
    i totally loved sugar babies and i adore the idea of this recipe

    ReplyDelete
  25. KarenNovember 3, 2008 at 3:45 PM

    OMG, I haven't thought of Sugar Babies in years! Thanks for the memories! I just love molasses, don't you?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Jersey Girl CooksNovember 3, 2008 at 4:10 PM

    Great idea. I love sugar babies.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Teresa Cordero CordellNovember 3, 2008 at 4:35 PM

    Lori, you are just so cool. I love this recipe. I remember eating sugar babies along time ago. Great recipe my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  28. SandieNovember 3, 2008 at 5:58 PM

    Molasses and molasses cookies have such an interesting history. I think it's great you featured these classic cookies with Sugar Babies (considering their history & genealogy). This looks like a winning recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Mary ColemanNovember 3, 2008 at 7:20 PM

    Love Sugar Babies. I haven't had these in years. I'd probably eat all the dough and not bake a single cookie.
    Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  30. ThistlemoonNovember 3, 2008 at 8:09 PM

    I used to love sugar babies too! Haven't had them in years! Love your uses of Halloween candy!

    ReplyDelete
  31. That GirlNovember 3, 2008 at 8:42 PM

    I adore these uses for leftover Halloween candy!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Susan @ SGCCNovember 3, 2008 at 9:09 PM

    Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies were my absolute favorites when I was a kid. I rarely see them anymore. Incorporating them into those great cookies is brilliant!

    BTW, Happy Birthday! Hope it was a great one!

    ReplyDelete
  33. JennyNovember 3, 2008 at 9:14 PM

    Happy Birthday! Mine is coming up too! Your cookies look divine! Love those combos!

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousNovember 3, 2008 at 11:22 PM

    Wow I haven't seen a sugar baby in a very long time. This is very unique and who can't love the title.

    ReplyDelete
  35. RobinNovember 4, 2008 at 4:22 AM

    I am liking all these ways to use up Halloween candy. Love the Kit Kat Crust in the post before this one and now Sugar Babies. We love Sugar Babies in our house but never thought to put them in cookies. Now I can see that I can put just about anything in cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  36. LizNoVeggieGirlNovember 4, 2008 at 4:24 AM

    Sugar Babies??? In cookies??? SINFUL!!! Haha, love it :0)

    ReplyDelete
  37. graceNovember 4, 2008 at 5:48 AM

    i don't believe i've ever had sugar babies, but if they do, in fact, create a chewy, caramelly texture, i'm all in. :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. AiméeNovember 4, 2008 at 10:39 AM

    Can you come and bring these to MY playdates with the boys? We would love you! They look great and I have a weakness for molasses cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  39. TeaLadyNovember 4, 2008 at 12:24 PM

    OH, Wow! I haven't had molasses cookies in years. And adding the sugar babies. Too Much! I will have to try these. They look fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  40. MichelleNovember 4, 2008 at 12:27 PM

    Oh man...this is too much! Sugar Heaven!

    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  41. vanillasugarblogNovember 4, 2008 at 1:30 PM

    how very creative of you!
    I've always loved these as a kid, but grew out of them as I got older. When I was younger I ate them a lot and they actually pulled out one of my baby teeth, so from then on I was freaked out by it. But I can freely eat them now LOL

    ReplyDelete
  42. AlexaNovember 4, 2008 at 2:11 PM

    Another clever idea and recipe... Those cookies look so good!

    ReplyDelete
  43. VeronicaNovember 4, 2008 at 4:18 PM

    Oh I wish I could find Sugar Babies! I haven't seen them in years. I'm printing out this recipe so when I do find them I can make these cookies-they would become my favorites I'm sure.

    ReplyDelete
  44. AdamNovember 4, 2008 at 5:37 PM

    Oh yes, dipped in milk would be awesome! I really like how you're using up the Halloween candy, and I love the caramel thing with the molasses. I wonder if you can do something cool with Charleston Chews. I have a bunch of those :)

    And of course funny/weird things came up googling sugar daddy... haha

    ReplyDelete
  45. SaraNovember 4, 2008 at 7:40 PM

    These look great, the only problem is that sugar babies don't last long enough in my house for me to bake with them!

    ReplyDelete
  46. DeborahNovember 5, 2008 at 6:04 AM

    I love sugar babies, but haven't had them in forever. These cookies look wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  47. RecipeGirl's MomNovember 5, 2008 at 8:01 PM

    Regarding your info on Sugar Babies' family....I remember Sugar Daddy well (very popular). But Sugar Mama? I don't remember her at all. She must have had all those babies, then decided to split!

    ReplyDelete
  48. RecipeGirlNovember 5, 2008 at 8:41 PM

    That's cute Mom... very funny :)

    Thanks for visiting!

    ReplyDelete
  49. RosieNovember 6, 2008 at 3:17 PM

    I've never seen Sugar Babies but what a great use for them in this bake!

    Rosie x

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for hanging out here! Your feedback is much appreciated :)