Participating in a cookie swap or love discovering a great new recipe? I got ya covered! I asked my mother to crack open her sacred, handmade recipe book to give us three instant hits. Here are her three suggestions that will surely earn a place in your recipe box.
Aunt Cornelia’s Gingerbread Boys
- 1/2 c shortening
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c molasses
- 1 egg, separated
- 2 c sifted flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1.5 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Cream together the shortening, sugar, and molasses. Add egg yolk. Mix well.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Stir in flour mixture. Blend well. Chill for half an hour.
Roll our 1/4 inch thick dough. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool before decorating as desired.
Danish Elephant Ears
- 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 c lightly packed flour
- 7 tbs ice water
- 1 c sugar
Cut butter into the flour in a large bowl until dough resembles a coarse meal. Gradually add water, stirring just enough until dough forms into a ball. Divide into two portions. Chill for an hour.
Grease baking sheets. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 1 1/2 inch rounds. Transfer to baking sheets until firm – at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450. Dip rounds into sugar in a shallow dish. Prick dough with a fork. Bake until lightly browned – about 8 minutes. Turn and sprinkle again with sugar. Bake until sugar caramelizes – about one minute.
Jammies
- 1 1/2 c sticks butter. Room temperature.
- 1 1/3 c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Jam of choice
Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add egg and vanilla. Blend well.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed ingredients.
Preheat over to 350.
Divide into four equal portions. Roll each onto a cylinder about 12 inches long. Transfer to baking sheets. Make an indentation along the cylinder about 1/4 inch deep. Fill indentation with jam. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool before cutting slices diagonally into 3/4 inch wide cookies.
