Raisin Griddle Cookies

Keep packages of dough in your freezer to bake on short notice.

• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup raisins

1. Sift dry ingredients together into bowl.  Cut in shortening until mixture is mealy.
2. Beat egg, add milk, and blend.  Add egg mixture and raisins to flour mixture.  Stir until all the ingredients are moistened and dough holds together.
3. Roll on lightly floured board to 1/4″ thickness. Cut with 2″ round cutter.
4. Heat griddle until a few drops of water dance on it. (Do not overhead griddle.)  Oil griddle lightly and place cookies on it.  As the bottoms brown, the tops become puffy.  Then turn and brown on other side.  Serve warm.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook

Wild Rose Cookies

These party cookies look like flowers.

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup very fine granulated sugar 
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup sifted flour
• Pink decorating sugar
• Yellow decorating sugar or tiny yellow candies

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla.

Divide flour in thirds.  Stir first third into creamed mixture and blend well.  Repeat with second third and then with last third.  Knead gently until smooth, about 5 minutes. Shape in ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.

Divide dough in fourths.  Pat one portion at a time 1/4″ thick on lightly floured surface.  Cut with 2 1/2″ round scalloped cutter.  Place dough cutouts 1/2 to 1″ apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Sprinkle liberally with pink sugar, leaving 3/4″ circle in center uncovered.

Cut a circle of stiff paper about the same size of cookies and cut out a 3/4″ circle in center.  Lay on cookie and carefully spoon yellow sugar into hold in paper; lift off paper.  Or, if you can find small yellow candies, use them.

Bake at 325° 12 to 15 minutes, until firm, but do not brown.  Transfer cookies to racks and cool.  

Note:  You can bake the cookies after adding pink sugar, cool them and add dots of frosting, tinted yellow, to make the centers.  Use 1/2 recipe for Ornamental Icing.  For dainty teatime cookies, use a 1″ round, scalloped cookie cutter.

Ornamental Cookie Icing

Combine 1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners sugar with enough slightly beaten egg white (1-2 tbsps) to make an icing you can put through decorating tube or small plastic bag with small hole cut in one corner, but which will have enough consistency to hold its shape on cookies.  Write and draw on cookies with this icing to give them a festive look.  A second batch of icing can be made easily if needed.

Makes 5 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Hard-Cooked Egg Cookies

Nuts and cinnamon decorate tops of these rich, yellow cookies.

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 5 sieved hard-cooked egg yolks (about 1 cup)
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

1. Beat butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 egg to blend thoroughly.  Add hard-cooked egg yolks and lemon peel.  Stir in flour.
2. Roll dough about 1/4″ thick on lightly floured surface; cut with 2″ round cutter.  Place 1/2″ apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Brush tops of cookies with slightly beaten egg.
3. Combine 1 tsp sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture and nuts over cookies.
4. Bake at 325° 20-25 minutes, or until delicately browned.  Remove cookies and cool on racks.  Store in container with loose-fitting lid to retain crispness.

Makes about 52.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Orange-Glazed Prune Cookies

• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups chopped cooked prunes
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Orange Glaze (see instructions below)

1. Cream together sugar and butter; stir in eggs and milk.
2. Sift  together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into creamed mixture.  Add prunes, nuts, and vanilla.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 2 ” apart onto greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350° 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove cookies and cool on racks.
4. Spread tops of cooled cookies with a thin layer of Orange Glaze.

Makes 8 1/2 dozen.

Orange Glaze

Combine 3 cups confectioners sugar, grated peel of 1 orange, and 1/4 cup orange juice. Blend thoroughly until smooth.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Orange Carrot Cookies with Golden Glow Topping

Cheerful as a Kansas sunflower—kind to the budget, attractive and tasty.

• 1 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup mashed cooked carrots
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Golden Glow Topping (see instructions below)

1. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Add carrots, egg and vanilla; mix well.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to carrot mixture; mix well.  Drop batter by teaspoonfuls about 2″ apart onto greased baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350° about 20 minutes.  Place cookies on racks to cool.  While warm, spread with Golden Glow Topping. 

Makes 5 dozen.

Golden Glow Topping

Combine juice of 1/2 orange, grated peel of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar.  Blend until smooth.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Corn Flake Cookies

Coconut makes these cookies special.

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flaked or shredded coconut
• 2 cups corn flakes

1. Sift together flour, soda, salt, and baking powder.
2. Cream shortening; gradually add sugars; beat until light.  Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients and creamed mixture; add coconut and corn flakes.
4. Drop small teaspoonfuls 1 1/2″ apart onto greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350° 8-10 minutes, or until delicately browned.  Spread on racks to cool.

Makes 8 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Powdered Sugar Cookies

These rich, dainty cookies please guests.

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 2 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar (for coating)

1. Beat shortening and butter until light; gradually add 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, beating constantly.  Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract to mix well.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Add to creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls 1″ apart onto ungreased baking sheet (or shape into 1″ balls.)  Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes.  Remove to cooling racks, and while still warm, roll in confectioners sugar.  When cool, roll in confectioners sugar again for snowy white coating.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Walnut Lace Cookies

Crisp, thin, fragile, and very delicious.

• 1/3 cup sifted flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Blend butter, brown sugar, and sifted dry ingredients with pastry blender as for pie crust.  Add egg and mix thoroughly.  Stir in walnuts.
3. Drop thin batter by half teaspoonfuls about 2″ apart onto heavily greased baking sheet. (Cookies spread during baking.)  Bake at 375° for 5-6 minutes.  Remove from baking sheet at once and cool on racks.

Makes about 5 1/2 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Best-Ever Butterscotch Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

Taste testers gave these blue ribbons.

• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 cup evaporated milk (about)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1 /2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Brown Butter Frosting (see below)
• Walnut or pecan halves

1. Put vinegar in a 1-cup measure; add evaporated milk and set aside.
2. Beat butter until light; add brown sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla to blend thoroughly.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Stir evaporated milk and add alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture.  Stir in chopped nuts.  Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 1/2″ apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350° 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned and barely firm to touch. Remove cookies and cool on racks.  When cool, spread with Brown Butter Frosting and press a walnut or pecan half in each cookies.  

Makes 5 dozen

Brown Butter Frosting

Melt 1/2 cup butter in small sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter stops bubbling and is nut-brown in color (do not scorch).  Combine with 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar and 2-4 tablespoons boiling water; beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.  Makes enough to frost about 5 dozen cookies.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Sea Foam Cookies

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsps milk
• 1 (6 oz) package semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 cup chopped salted peanuts

1. Cream shortening with sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
2. Sift together flour,  baking powder, soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk. (The dough will be stiff.) Press dough into greased 13x9x2″ pan.  Sprinkle evenly with chocolate pieces.
3. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1 cup of brown sugar and beat until very stiff and glossy.  Spread over dough in pan.  Scatter peanuts evenly over top.
4. Bake at 325° 30 to 35  minutes.  Cool in pan set on rack, then cut in 3×1″ bars.

Makes 38

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

English Tea Squares

Strawberry jam fills these cookies.

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam
• 3 tbsps confectioners sugar

1. Beat butter until light; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla to blend well.  Stir in flour, allspice, and almonds.
2. Spoon about half of the mixture into a lightly greased  9″ square pan.  Carefully spread strawberry jam over top.  Top with remaining dough.
3. Bake at 350° 40-45 minutes, or until delicately browned.  Remove to cooling rack and sift confectioners sugar over top.  When cool, cut into 1 1/2″ squares.

Makes 3 dozen.

Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook, 1959

Chocolate Banana Drops

• 1 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
• Cookie topper (see below)
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2-3 bananas (enough to make 1 cup mashed bananas)
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten

1. Set out cookie sheets
2. Melt chocolate pieces and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare and set aside cookie topper.
4. Sift together the following ingredients and set aside:  flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
5. Mash bananas and set aside.
6. Cream together shortening, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.  Gradually add sugar and continue to cream until fluffy.
7. Add well-beaten eggs in thirds, beating thoroughly after each addition.
8. Blend in melted chocolate.  Stir in dry ingredients alternately with mashed bananas, adding dry ingredients in fourths, bananas in thirds.
9. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 1 1/2 inches apart on cookie sheets.  Sprinkle with cookie topper.
10. Bake at 400° 12-15 minutes.

Cookie Topper

Mix together 2 tbsps sugar, 2 tbsps cocoa, and 1 tsp cinnamon.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

The Chocolate Cookbook, The Culinary Arts Institute, 1954.