This recipe is from The Watkins Cookbook, 1930

Molasses Gingerbread
½ cup fat
½ cup sugar
1 cup light molasses
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon Watkins Ginger
1 teaspoon Watkins Cinnamon


Cream Sugar and butter, add molasses. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Beat eggs, add to fat mixture. Add Flour and water alternately. Bake in buttered shallow pan moderate oven (350 degrees to 375 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes.   

Flavored butters like garlic butter are easy to make and they all pretty much follow the same recipe, simply mix softened butter and the flavorings or seasonings of your choice. You can make savory spiced, and herb butters to season bread, meat, poultry, fish, pasta, rice and vegetables, or nut and sweet butters to spread on breads, muffins or rolls. Try these:

Garlic Butter
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves peeled, puréed garlic or 1 – 2 teaspoons Watkins garlic
2 tablespoons Watkins parsley
Makes incredible garlic bread!

Italian Herb Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Watkins basil
1 teaspoon Watkins oregano
1/2 teaspoon Watkins garlic

Mexican Herb Butter
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons Watkins cilantro
2 teaspoons Watkins cumin
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Want a spicier version? Add 1 teaspoon Watkins chili powder

Curry Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Watkins curry powder
pinch Watkins granulated black pepper
This one is excellent with chicken, rice and vegetables.

Vanilla Honey Butter
1/2 cup /125 mL butter
1/4 cup /60 mL honey
1 tsp /5 mL Watkins Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

​Maple Nut Butter
1/2 cup /125 mL butter
1/4 cup /60 mL maple syrup
1/4 cup/60 mL walnuts or pecans finely chopped

Mint Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Orange Butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon Watkins orange extract
1/2 teaspoon Watkins orange peel, rehydrate in 1/2 teaspoon of water

Cinnamon Butter
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon Watkins cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
The above sweet butters are great on bread, rolls, pancakes, waffles, french toast, biscuits or muffins.
Tips

• Use real butter, margarine just isn’t the same!
• For fluffier butter, mix with an electric mixer, beat one to two minutes at medium speed until completely blended.
• Let the flavored butter stand for an hour in a cool place, covered, to allow the flavors to meld.
• Store prepared butter in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.  Label your butter so you don’t get a big surprise!

Soft Herb Butter – Healthier Version
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Vegetable /  Grapeseed Oil, flavor of your choice
2 tablespoons Watkins herbs of your choice; basil, dill, parsley, rosemary, sage or tarragon
Use a blender or electric mixer for this one, to ensure the oil is well blended. It remains fairly soft even when refrigerated.
You’ll find just the right seasonings and flavorings for these butters by Watkins here.