Jelly Top Cookies

These old-fashioned jelly top cookies are the kind of recipe that gets passed down on a stained index card. Molasses, lard, and warm spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves) make a stiff, dark dough that rolls out beautifully.

Each cookie gets dipped in beaten egg white, then pressed into granulated sugar before a dollop of firm jelly goes right in the center. When they bake, the sugar coating crisps into a crackly shell while the jelly softens into a glossy, jewel-toned pool. The vinegar in the dough isn’t random. It reacts with the baking soda for extra lift and keeps the molasses sweetness from getting cloying.

This is a roll-and-cut cookie, so the dough needs to be stiff enough to handle without sticking. Add flour gradually until it holds its shape when rolled.

Kitchen Tips

• Watch these closely in the oven. The high sugar content from both the molasses and the sugar coating means they go from golden to burnt in a flash.
• Use a firm jelly (grape or apple work well), not a loose jam. Runny preserves will spread and slide off during baking.
• The dough handles best when chilled. If it gets sticky while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Dissolve the baking soda completely in the hot water before adding. Undissolved soda leaves bitter spots.

Variations

• Try raspberry or blackberry jelly for a tart contrast to the sweet molasses dough.
• Substitute butter for lard if you prefer, though the texture will be slightly less tender.
• Dust finished cookies with powdered sugar instead of the egg white and sugar dip for a softer finish.