Old Fashioned Sorghum Cookies are delightfully slightly sweet, nutty, and chewy cookies that will surely become a family favorite. They are perfect with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of tea.
Back in the day before Covid and we were traveling in the RV, we marveled at the beautiful fields of Sorghum, especially in the late summer when colors are deep and rich. After a bit of research, while we were on the road, I learned that sorghum is mainly used as a feed for livestock. That seemed plausible as it grows everywhere out west where water is a coveted resource. Sorghum is a drought-resistant plant that needs little fertilizer. It’s a great alternative to a corn crop for the eco-conscious farmer.
Sorghum is just not for feeding livestock
This is true! Sorghum, also known as milo, is one of those foods that is coming back in fashion and is becoming easier to find in our local grocery stores. It is an ancient grain that dates back to 8000 years ago and is gluten-free and non-GMO. You can cook with sorghum just as you would any rice, quinoa, farro, or any other whole-grain product. It adds a nutty, hearty flavor to any recipe that you may make. I have a bag on hand for the next time that I need a side-dish. I’ll post something up when I do!
With all my traveling, I have seen a lot of sorghum fields and always thought they are so pretty. Sorghum even grows wild all over the western states. I got this photo from the Sorghum Growers website.
Using sorghum in sweets
There are many varieties of sorghum and “sweet sorghum” is a species of the plant that has higher sugar content in the stalk. They boil it down and make it into a thick, sticky syrup like molasses. Sorghum “molasses” is tasty on anything that you would use maple syrup on. It has a much milder taste than molasses which makes it more palatable to a lot of people. When I tried it for the first time, I fell in love with it. It’s just sweet enough. A drizzle of sorghum in hot tea is a great alternative to sugar or honey.
My store sells sorghum syrup but if your store doesn’t, it’s available on Amazon. You can also find the grain there as well if you want to give it a try.
After the dough is made, roll into walnut-sized balls and coat in sugar. Place on the cookie sheet as seen in this picture.
Old Fashioned Sorghum cookies done right
Back in the early 1900s, sorghum was a typical sweetener that was used in cooking. Since many farms grew the grain for their livestock, it was a necessity to use it in other ways as well. It was inexpensive, easy for them to produce, and a tasty additive to cooking. I have cookbooks from the early 1900s and many of the recipes include sorghum. Even the bread recipes use it as a main ingredient.
These cookies are not only nostalgic, but they are also authentic to something that would have been made 100 years ago. I added a few extra spices to make them extra delicious while keeping them crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside!
After the cookies are rolled into balls, flatten them out as you would with peanut butter cookies. They do expand while cooking so leave proper space!
I wish you could smell how good these cookies are. They smell like autumn. Delicious!
Are you looking for other cookie recipes? Here you go!
Tipsy Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Outrageous Caramel M&M’s Cookies
Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies
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Old Fashioned Sorghum Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sorghum can substitute mollassas
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice or substitute 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- sugar for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cookie sheet by either spraying with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and sorghum. Add the spices, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add the flour and mix well.
- Shape into 2-inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place 2 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Press the cookies down with a fork in opposite directions (like a peanut butter cookie). Bake for 12 minutes or until the tops are cracked. Remove to wire racks to cool.