What Is Molasses and How Can I Use It?

Wondering what to do with molasses? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it — with 816 recipes to put it to work.

What are molasses?

Molasses  is a viscous byproduct of the processing of sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. Sweet sorghum syrup is known in some parts of the United States as molasses, though it is not true molasses.

Cane molasses is a common ingredient in baking, often used in baked goods such as gingerbread cookies.

There are a number of substitutions that can be made for molasses. For a given volume of molasses, one of the following may be used (with varying degrees of success): an equal volume of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup, or ¾ that volume firmly packed brown sugar.

Nutrition

Where found

Molasses are usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Molasses are a member of the Sweets US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much do molasses weigh?

Related

Sweets

Recipes using molasses

There are 816 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Gloria's Best Gingerbread Cookies

Soft, warmly spiced gingerbread cookies made with molasses, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Roll and cut into festive shapes for Christmas decorating with simple icing.

T.M.'s Gingerbread Cookies

Classic roll-out gingerbread cookies with ginger, nutmeg, and molasses, perfect for cookie cutters and holiday decorating. The traditional Christmas cookie kids and grown-ups both love to ice.

Newbest Pecan Pie

Chocolate pecan pie spiked with Kahlua and molasses, loaded with toasted pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips. A grown-up Thanksgiving pie with deep coffee-bourbon undertones.

Whole Wheat Two Seeds Bread

Nutty whole wheat bread machine loaf topped with sesame and poppy seeds. Molasses adds subtle sweetness and soft texture to this high-fiber sandwich bread.

Homemade Noodles Bird’s Nest

This recipe is very easy and fun to make. And it’s a kid friendly recipe. Try it.

Turkey Scallopini & Squash Ravioli with Cranberry Brown Butter

Turkey Scallopini and Squash Ravioli with Cranberry Brown Butter recipe

Tom's Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

Old-fashioned pumpkin pie with molasses, evaporated milk, and the four classic spices: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. The grandmother-style holiday pie with a deep, dark filling.

Awesome Ginger Spice Waffles

Gingerbread-style waffles with molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, half whole-wheat flour for body. Topped with vanilla yogurt and bright fruit, they taste like holiday morning.

Vegan Peanut Butter Muffins

Vegan peanut butter muffins sweetened with dark molasses and made dairy-free with soy milk. No eggs, no butter, just a one-bowl stir-and-bake batter for tender, nutty muffins.

Holiday Vegan Pumpkin Pie

A vegan pumpkin pie with a silky tofu-set custard, spiced with cinnamon, ginger and mace and sweetened with molasses, in a flaky from-scratch crust. An egg- and dairy-free holiday classic.

Oatmeal Waffles/Pancakes

Oatmeal waffles or pancakes: hearty whole-wheat batter with quick oats, buttermilk, and a touch of molasses for warm depth. Heart-healthy breakfast made with egg substitute and canola oil.

Homemade String Hopper Sweet Rolls

Homemade string hopper sweet rolls, delicate steamed rice-flour noodle disks wrapped around a sweet coconut treacle and cinnamon filling. A soft, lightly sweet Sri Lankan steamed treat for breakfast or tea.

Homemade Milk Rice with Coconut Stuffing

Milk Rice is a traditional specialty food item of Sri Lanka made for special occasions. Some Sri Lankans believe it is a lucky food. It is simple to make and very tasty.

Granola Bars Bw

Homemade granola bars sweetened with molasses and orange juice concentrate, packed with oats, raisins, apricots, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and sesame. Dense, cakey, and naturally fruit-sweetened.

Treacle Scones

Treacle scones blend flour and cornmeal with light molasses for sturdy, lightly sweet British tea scones with toasty corn texture and molasses depth. Split warm and serve with butter and jam.

Pumpkin or Squash Pie

Vegan pumpkin or squash pie with silken tofu, honey or maple, molasses, and a hint of coriander and almond extract. Egg-free and dairy-free, with custard-like texture from blended tofu.

Favorite Chewy Spice Cookies

Chewy spice cookies are low-fat molasses cookies sweetened with applesauce, scented with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, then drizzled with lemon icing. Holiday spice cookies without butter or eggs.

Silky Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Vegan pumpkin pie made with silken tofu instead of eggs and cream, sweetened with date sugar and molasses. Silky custard texture with classic Thanksgiving spice.

Cakey Gingerbread Squares

Cakey gingerbread squares with molasses, fresh orange zest, and warm holiday spices. Tender old-fashioned gingerbread, dusted with powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Holiday Gingerbread Waffles

Holiday gingerbread waffles bring molasses, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the breakfast table. Whipped egg whites give them an impossibly light, crisp-edged crumb.

Old Fashion Ginger Snaps

Crispy old fashioned ginger snaps made with whole wheat flour, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves. These spiced cookies bake up flat and crackled in just 8 minutes with a warm, snappy bite.

Rubber Stamp Gingerbread Cookies

Rubber stamp gingerbread cookies bake up firm enough to hold cutter shapes and decorate, with a pinch of cayenne hiding behind the molasses, ginger, and cloves for unexpected warmth.

First Ginger Molasses Cookies

Chewy ginger molasses cookies with crackly, sugar-dusted tops and a warm hit of ginger and cinnamon. Brown sugar and molasses keep them soft in the center with crisp, sparkly edges.

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Muffins

Wholesome whole wheat peanut butter muffins sweetened with molasses, not sugar, and quick to mix in one bowl. Crunchy peanut butter and whole wheat pastry flour make a hearty, lightly sweet breakfast or snack.

Pumpkin Pie with Short Pastry Crust

Pumpkin pie sweetened with honey and molasses, lightened with whipped cream folded into the custard, in a buttery short pastry crust. A holiday classic with a silkier-than-usual filling.

All 816 recipes