Here's the recipe I have used for years and years..It's from Betty Crocker I think....

One of the things that I love about it, other than the great flavor and texture is that it can be made quickly, because there is no butter to soften.
I often hardly chill the dough...

Here is a link that might be useful: Molasses Chews

I like this one. Don't know if it's similar to Archway or not but they taste good. It calls for a dab of chocolate icing on the top of each but I don't bother:
SOFT MOLASSES DROP COOKIES (about 3 dozen)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cider vinegar
2 TBL water
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup raisins (definitely optional)
Chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat the shortening & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg & 3 TBL of the flour.
Sift together the remaining flour & other dry ingredients. Mix together the vinegar, water & buttermilk. Add alternately to the molasses mixture & beat batter until it's very smooth. Stir in raisins, if using.
Drop tsp of the mixture onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten dough if desired. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool. Top each cookie with a dime-sized round of chocolate frosting.~~Craig Claiborne

Thanks Terri and Ginger. I think these both sound great. I think I'll try them both at one time or another. Thank you again.
Dee

Here's mine, but I think they are very similar to Terry's.

2/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup white sugar
4 Tbsp molasses
1 egg

Stir together above ingredients, then add:

2 cups sifter flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Make small balls. Roll in sugar. Bake 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet at 350 for 15 minutes.

dee1:
Check out the Christmas Cookies and Cookies thread here on the RE........there are some that call for molasses.......and lots of other good ones also.

My grandmother had a recipe, from one of her friends (this would be from the 1940's). Here it is right off the recipe card from her old box of recipes. They knew how to make cookies, all they needed were the ingredients. My grandmother baked in an old black stove, so temperature is just a guess.

IngaÂs soft molasses cookies

½ cup melted shortening
1 cup molasses
2 eggs beaten
1 ¼ cups sifted flour
4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ cup milk
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp lemon extract

Bake in hot oven (375° for about 10  12 minutes)

Here's a recipe from Cooks Illustrated for Molasses Spice Cookies. This might be what you are looking for.

Wow, thanks for all the responses. Roselin, I will check out the Cookie and Christmas Cookies threads here. Thanks so much.
Momj47 I couldn't open the link for Molasses Spice Cookies. For some reason my computer doesn't read pdf files. I have no clue. Thanks for the recipe and I loved the picture of your grandmother's stove!

Mom made these very often when we were kids--and to half of the dough she'd add raisins for my father. they were always coated with pink icing.

ginger cream cookies

beat together:
1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 C molasses
4 C flour, more or less
1 C hot water
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp each: salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves

chill the dough and drop onto a greased sheet (they will spread out a fair amount when cooking). bake at 400 for 8 minutes.

I just got this from Land 'o Lakes.......have made their gingrebread cookies before as well as a lot of their other recipes and have never been disappointed.
HALLOWEEN MOLASSES CUT-OUTS

These cut-out cookies will charm your Halloween guests.

Preparation time: 1 hrs Baking time: 8 min
Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Frosting Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Decorator sugars

Combine butter, sugar, molasses, egg and vinegar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining ingredients. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Divide dough into thirds; wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on surface lightly covered with equal mixture of flour and sugar, one portion at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with assorted 2 to 3-inch cookie cutters.

Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until no indention remains when touched. Let stand 1 minute. Cool completely.

Combine all frosting ingredients except milk and decorator sugars in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Decorate cooled cookies with frosting and decorator sugars, as desired.