National Molasses Bar Day – February 8, 2025

On February 8 we celebrate National Molasses Bar Day a day to enjoy the rich, sweet flavour of molasses. On this day to make it memorable and enjoyable day you can make some molasses bars or cookies and share them with your friends and family.

However, if you have never tried molasses, then National Molasses Bar Day would be the perfect and most apt day to try it. However, Molasses, or treacle in British English, is essentially a thick sugary syrup made from sugarcane or sugar beets that contains large amounts of calcium, iron and magnesium.

Did you know that beet molasses is 50% sugar by weight, sugar is sometimes extracted from beet molasses through molasses desugarization and cane molasses is more commonly used in cooking?

History of National Molasses Bar Day

Did you know that, the word molasses came from the Portuguese word “melaco,” which evolved from the Latin “mel,” meaning “honey.” However, this sticky and sweet stuff has been used as far back as the 1500s as a sweetener for food.

Also, there are a wide variety of uses for it in cooking; for cookies, gingerbread, sauces, dark rye breads, beers such as stouts or porters, and of course, molasses bars in Middle Eastern culture, molasses is produced from dates, grapes and pomegranates.

Along with this it can also be blended with magnesium chloride and used for de-icing, or as a soil additive to promote microbial activity. On early printing presses, it was mixed with glue to case ink rollers.

Molasses bars are chewy nibbles that are enjoyed by many, usually containing cinnamon and other spices, too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)

How to make:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and eggs, mixing until well combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. If using, fold in the chopped nuts and raisins or chocolate chips.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let the bars cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut into squares or rectangles.
7. Enjoy your molasses bars as a tasty treat, they pair wonderfully with coffee or tea.

   

    

Activities for Molasses Bar Day

Here are some of the Activities that you can do on National Molasses Bar Day,

1. Baking Party: On this day you can host a baking party with friends or family where everyone can make their own version of molasses bars or cookies. Also, you could provide different recipes or let everyone get creative with their own twists.
2. Taste Test: Organize a molasses taste test. Gather different brands or types of molasses (like blackstrap, unsulfured, etc.) and sample them.
3. Recipe Exchange: Tell the participants to bring their favorite molasses recipes to share. You could compile these into a little recipe booklet for everyone to take home.
4. Cooking Class: If you enjoy teaching or learning, consider taking or hosting a cooking class focused on molasses-based recipes. It’s a great way to deepen your skills and knowledge.
5. Creative Decorating: On this day you can bake molasses bars and have a decorating session and use icing, nuts, or dried fruit to personalize your treats.
6. Pairing Party: Experiment with pairing molasses bars with different beverages, such as milk, coffee, or tea, and see what combinations you enjoy the most.
7. Virtual Celebration: If friends or family are far away, host a virtual gathering where everyone bakes together over video chat, sharing their progress and results.
8. Crafting: Try your hand at making homemade labels for your molasses treats and you can even create fun packaging to gift to friends.

5 Facts About Molasses That Will Blow Your Mind

1. A different name in the U.K.- Did you know that, britishers call molasses “treacle.”
2. Molasses and alcohol – However, some vodka and rum brands use molasses.
3. A black golden syrup-type liquid- The quality of the molasses depends on how the sugar is refined.
4. The Great Molasses Flood caused a mess- It took six months to clean the streets of Boston after the flood.
5. Molasses as a fruit- Pomegranate molasses are quite common too and it’s favourite of most of the people.

Conclusion

National Molasses Bar Day is celebrated on July 2nd a day to enjoy the rich, sweet flavour of molasses. Moreover, this versatile ingredient is often featured in baked goods, especially in recipes for cookies and bars that boast a warm, comforting taste.

On this day you can explore the different ways to use molasses can also be a fun adventure try it in marinades, salad dressings, or even homemade bread. Whether you enjoy them fresh from the oven or as part of a festive gathering, National Molasses Bar Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate this unique ingredient and its rich history in cooking and baking.