Here's a molasses bar cookie with frosting that I like. FROSTED MOLASSES BARS Bars: 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 egg 1/2 cup molasses 1/3 cup water Frosting: 2 TBL butter 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 TBL molasses 1 TBL water For the bars: in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & cloves. In a large bowl, cream the butter & sugar. Beat in the egg, molasses & water & stir in the dry ingredients, blending well. Turn into a greases 11x7" baking pan & bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool while preparing the frosting. For the frosting: Combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, molasses & water, beating until smooth enough to spread. spread over the bars while they're still warm but let the frosting firm up before cutting the bars.~~Maine Ingredient

Thank you all for your support! The cookies turned out terrific and made a lovely addition to the meal. They made a chicken and vegetable dish in one of those clay tangines and served it over couscous. The cookies were great! I used the ginger snaps recipe and substituted the honey for the molasses (I usually use Plantation black strap). For my high-altitude changes I only added a scant 2tbsp more liquid even though I sometimes add 3-4. The dough seamed impossibly crumbly but when I squished it, it came together nicely. I used half the recommended amount of cloves, double the ginger (or did I triple it?) and added an uncalled for three tablespoons of cardamom. My secret ingredient was a 1/4 teaspoon ground coffee. All the online recipe sites suggested that Moroccan desserts used: almond, pistachio, coffee, tea, orange and orange blossom. I thought coffee sounded nice. And, now we are full to near bursting! Thanks for suggesting I go for it, the results are worth repeating! Jennifer

Here is my all time favorite chewy molasses cookie, for comparison. Yours has almost the same amount of fat, although my recipe has twice as much flour/sugar/eggs, etc. I think the fat ratio is definitely pretty high in your recipe. Chewy Molasses Cookies (Annie CF) 1 1/2 cups of shortening (I use half and half with butter, but all butter makes them too crispy for my taste) 1 cups granulated sugar 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup of dark molasses 4 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves Chopped crystalized ginger, optional, to taste. I used about half a cup, finely chopped and wish I'd have used more but I love ginger Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling Cream the shortening and sugars. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well blended. Sift the flour (yeah right, I don't, LOL) and measure 4 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Turn the mixer to low or stir, and add the flour slowly until well mixed. Stir in the chopped ginger and chill the dough for at least an hour. After the dough has chilled for an hour, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and roll the balls in the coarse sugar to completely coat. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The cookies will puff up and crack. When the cookies are done the cracks should still look a little wet, but the outside should look dry. They'll "fall" a little as they cool, let them sit a couple of minutes on the sheet before you try to move them to cooling racks. Annie

Here ya go. Chewy Molasses Cookies (Annie CF) 1 1/2 cups of shortening (I use half and half with butter, but all butter makes them too crispy for my taste) 1 cups granulated sugar 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup of dark molasses 4 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves Chopped crystalized ginger, optional, to taste. I used about half a cup, finely chopped and wish I'd have used more but I love ginger Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for rolling Cream the shortening and sugars. Add the molasses and eggs and mix until well blended. Sift the flour (yeah right, I don't, LOL) and measure 4 1/2 cups into a separate bowl. Add the spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk to combine. Turn the mixer to low or stir, and add the flour slowly until well mixed. Stir in the chopped ginger and chill the dough for at least an hour. After the dough has chilled for an hour, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls and roll the balls in the coarse sugar to completely coat. Place the dough balls about an inch apart on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The cookies will puff up and crack. When the cookies are done the cracks should still look a little wet, but the outside should look dry. They'll "fall" a little as they cool, let them sit a couple of minutes on the sheet before you try to move them to cooling racks.