I tried Reddit's famous murder cookies

I often browse Reddit looking for new recipes to try, and my favorite place to start is “Old Recipes.” The subreddit is a place where you can share excerpts from old books, family recipes, and more. It's a gem and I love the stories that accompany each recipe. When I read about the famous Murder Cookies, I knew I had to try them.

What are murder cookies?

The now-famous cookies were originally shared by Reddit user @NearKilroy, who discovered the recipe while researching a murder in her home. During their research, the poster fell “down a rabbit hole” and they discovered that a neighbor at the time worked at a local bakery and was famous for these Scottish cookies. Sometime in the 1930s, the cookies were even named “Recipe of the Year.” Since the Scotch cookie recipe first appeared on Reddit in 2019, it continues to attract comments and rave reviews from those who have tried it. Before the holiday baking rush, I went to our test kitchen to try out the recipe for myself.

What do Scottish biscuits taste like?

Murder cookies, also called Scotch cookies, remind me of classic molasses or gingerbread cookies. The cookies are flavored with cinnamon, mace and molasses. The portion I tried was soft and had the perfect amount of chew. If you love rich, spicy flavors, this is the cookie recipe for you.

How to make Scotch cookies

The recipe goes well with the other molasses cookies I've tried.

1. Mix shortening and sugar until creamy. Once the dough is foamy, add eggs, molasses and milk. Either an electric mixer or a stand mixer is suitable here.
2. Add flour, spices and salt. We found the cookie dough to be quite soft and slightly sticky, but still easy to work with. If you don't have mace, try using more cinnamon, ginger, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice instead.
3. Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets (a larger spoon works well here) and bake at 350°F for about 8 minutes. Do not overbake the cookies! The key to the perfect texture is to underbake them slightly. Allow to cool completely. The cookies spread a little as they baked and softened a bit as they cooled.

The verdict on Reddit's Murder Cookies

I tried the cookies with several of our recipe developers and testers and we all loved them. They have all the warming spice flavor we want in a fall cookie. We all loved the chewy texture and surprisingly perfect amount of salt. It helped balance the spicy, sweet flavor of the cinnamon. It reminds me of my grandma's gingerbread cookies. I took the rest home and my two daughters devoured the rest of the bag. I managed to snag one and it was delicious with a cup of hot green tea. They also freeze very well. The Reddit reviewers aren't wrong, these cookies are to die for.