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Stagga back (Jamaican molasses ginger cookies)
Chewy, dark molasses and ginger cookies from Jamaica's old country shops
Stagga back are the dark, chewy cookies that sat in glass jars on the counters of Jamaican country shops, sold singly to schoolchildren on the way home and to anyone wanting something sweet with a cold drink in the heat of the afternoon. They are made with plenty of molasses, brown sugar and both dried and fresh ginger, with a little nutmeg and allspice, so they taste deep, almost smoky, and warm at the back of the throat. The texture should bend before it snaps: firm edges, soft and toffee-like in the middle. Eat them with a cup of mint or ginger tea, or a glass of cold coconut water. They are naturally egg-free: the thick molasses and the oil bind the flour on their own, and bicarbonate of soda reacting with the acidic molasses gives them their lift and crackled tops. This version uses oil instead of butter, so it is vegan. Chef's tip: take them out while the centres still look a little underdone; the common mistake is baking until they feel firm in the oven, and then they cool into rock-hard discs.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 ½ oz dark brown sugar
- ½ cup molassesdark, not blackstrap
- ¼ cup vegetable oilor melted coconut oil
- 1 tbsp fresh gingerfinely grated
- 2 tbsp wateronly if needed
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar (optional)for the tops
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Whisk together 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp grated nutmeg, ½ tsp ground allspice and ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl.
Step 3: In another bowl, beat 5 ½ oz dark brown sugar, ½ cup molasses, ¼ cup vegetable oil and 1 tbsp fresh ginger with a whisk for 1 minute, until glossy and smooth with no lumps of sugar.
1 minStep 4: Pour the wet mix into the flour and stir with a spoon into a soft, sticky dough. If it is too dry to come together, add 2 tbsp water a spoonful at a time.
Step 5: Rest the dough for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates and it firms up enough to roll.
10 minStep 6: Roll heaped tablespoons of dough into balls about 35 g each, place them 6 cm apart on the trays and flatten each to 1 cm thick. Press 2 tbsp demerara sugar on top if you like.
Step 7: Bake one tray at a time for 11–13 minutes, until the tops have cracked and the edges are set but the centres still look soft and slightly puffed.
12 minStep 8: Leave on the tray for 5 minutes to firm up, then move to a rack to cool completely. They keep a week in an airtight tin and get chewier by day two.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does stagga back (Jamaican molasses ginger cookies) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
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