Martina Webb credits her husband and young son with the idea for her molasses cookie recipe. "When my husband, Mark, would return from a business trip, he always brought my son, Alex, the cookie that was served with lunch on the airplane," she remembers. "They were often molasses cookies, which Alex thought were called 'Alaska' cookies. Those cookies soon became his favorite."

About that same time, Martina read a story in Cooking Light about using drained applesauce as a fat substitute. From her experiments came Alaska Molasses Cookies, which were an instant hit with son Alex, as well as the rest of the family

Martina, an active member of a local Cooking Light Supper Club and a certified master gardener, works at home in Sterling Heights, Michigan, taking care of her family. She enjoys creating her own recipes and says her favorites all have a lot of flavor and a spicy aroma—like these cookies. With just the right blend of sugar and spice, Martina thinks—and we agree—they hit the sweet spot.

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