Syrup
Light Molasses
A tier
Light (first) molasses is the syrup from the first sugar boiling: sweeter, milder, and more caramel than blackstrap, still with a mineral edge. It is the molasses in many American cookie and baked-bean recipes that do not want a medicinal finish. Swap it for dark molasses if you want less bitterness. It is not golden syrup and not maple. A jar labelled only "molasses" in the US is often this or a blend of light and dark.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
BeansCookiesGingerbread Mild
Traits
CaramelCookie MolassesFirst BoilMilderMineral HintNot BlackstrapSweeterUS Jar Default
History
US
First-boil molasses was the household sweetener of cane country before cheap white sugar.
Light molasses stayed in American baking as white sugar took the table.
Recipes still called for light molasses in soft cookies and Boston beans.