When her grandmother’s molasses cookie recipe became so tattered she no longer could read key ingredients, Milk Street fan Jane Yunginger, of Rochester, Minnesota, asked for our help filling in the blanks.

We soon realized this particular cookie likely dates to the late 19th century. We experimented with similar-sounding vintage recipes and ultimately produced a chewy, cakey, buttermilk-rich cookie that matched Yunginger’s description. From there, we tweaked the flavors for the modern palate, adding sweet complexity with a browned butter icing. Mystery solved and improved.