Gingerbread Cookies
Adapted from vintage Betty Crocker cookbook (circa 1969)
½ cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup molasses
¼ cup water
2-1/2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
Cream shortening and sugar. Blend in molasses, water, flour, salt, soda and spices. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
Heat oven to 375. Roll dough to 1/4” thickness on lightly floured board and cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Decorate as desired.
Lemon Glazed Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup butter, cold
3 eggs, room temperature
1-1/2 tsp. real lemon extract
Sift dry ingredients together.
Add margarine, mixing with pastry blender.
Add lightly beaten eggs and extract.
Knead only until dough comes together.
Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on floured surface to ¼” thickness.
Cut into desired shapes using a knife or cookie cutters.
Bake at 350˚ for about 8 minutes or until barely browned.
Remove to cooling rack.
For glaze:
Combine:
1-1/2 cups 10x sugar
1-1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Enough water to thin to spreading consistency (about 2 Tbls.)
Decorate as desired using a pastry bag or knife.
Spiced Cherry Bars
Heat oven to 350˚.
2 sticks of butter, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Filling:
2 jars cherry jam
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. allspice
Cream butter to smooth with an electric mixer.
Add flour, egg yolks and sugar and mix until combined.
Remove 2/3 of the mixture and set aside.
Add walnuts to remaining dough and mix well.
Spread the 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of a 9×13 cake pan to form the bottom crust.
Using a parchment sleeve will make removal easier but is not necessary.
Combine jam and spices and spread over bottom crust.
Sprinkle remaining dough with walnuts evenly over top.
Bake at 350˚ for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Cool slightly before cutting.
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