Cookies and Candy

cookie jar
 
SPONGE DROPS

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Beat the eggs to a foam, add sugar, then flour which has been mixed and sifted with baking powder. Add lemon extract. Drop by teaspoonfuls 3 inches, (yes, 3 inches) apart on cookie pan and bake 5 minutes in a hot oven.

Contributed by lilliew@alltel.net. This recipe was in a community cook book given to my mother when she married in 1916.
 
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder

Roll into little balls and press down with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until brown around the edges.

This was a recipe from my grandmother Stella (Shepherd) Sims. She was born in 1870 and died in 1941.
 
DROP COOKIES

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter or 1 stick oleo (oh, dear, don't remember which measurement I used--probably the oleo)
1 cup cold coffee
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 TSP baking powder
1 TSP cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup nutmeats
pinch salt
1 egg

Contributed by lilliew@alltel.net. This was a recipe from my grandmother, Stella (Shepherd) Sims, she was born in 1870 and died in 1941. There were no baking instructions and I haven't made them for a long time but I think I used sugar cookie baking instructions. I don't like the taste of coffee, but these cookies were delicious.
 
CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Two cups granulated sugar
one cup sweet milk
half cup butter
half cake Baker's chocolate

Combine all ingredients; let it boil nine minutes, then remove from fire, add two teaspoons vanilla and stir steadily until it is soft and creamy, then pour into a greased pan to harden; cut into squares.

MRS. HARRY WELDON (CEDOTHIA-DOCIE) This recipe was sent to me by Donna Vann, of Grand River (a cousin!) who collects cook books; Her note: "Hi Cousin, found a recipe for chocolate fudge, written by MRS. HARRY WELDON, in a l908 cook book, put out by the Christian Church in Grand River, Iowa."

My G Grandmother, CEDOTHIA ANN (CREES) WELDON was born in Decatur County, Iowa; July 2, l876, the daughter of JOHN FREDERICK (FRED) and MARGARET (KOGER) CREES. She passed away July l0, l933 -- aged 57 years and 8 days. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert October 4, 2002
 
WALNUT CREAM DROPS

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 T. corn syrup
pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut goodies

Mix in a saucepan all ingredients except vanilla extract and walnuts. Cook very slow without stirring, over a low heat until a little of the mixture forms a soft ball in cold water. Remove from heat and beat till it stands alone, then drop on greased pan. Add nuts and vanilla after you talk off the stove. Makes about 20 pieces.

This recipe belonged to my grandmother who died in the 1960's so I figure it is over 50+ years old. Probably older. Janette Welch
 
Cherry Winks

Sift together 2 C flour, 1 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. soda and 1/2 t. salt. Cream together 2/3 C. shortening (I used Butter Flavor Crisco) and 1 C. sugar. Mix well. Add 2 eggs, 3 T. milk and 1 t. vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add 1 C. chopped pecans, 1 C. chopped dates and 1/3 C. chopped Maraschino cherries.

Mix well. Use 1 T. dough for each cookie. Roll in crushed corn flakes. Top each cookie with 1/4 of a Maraschino cherry (I use a 1/2 of a cherry since the cookies are good sized and make half with red cherries and half with green Maraschino cherries when I make them for Christmas). Spray cookie sheet with spray release and bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. One recipe makes 4 dozen cookies. They freeze well. I have made this recipe for over 40 years.

Contributed by epoush@mayflowerhomes.com. from his grandmother, Ada Mae Scott Lillie.
 
Date Nut Roll

Combine in sauce pan: 4 C. sugar, 1 C. milk, 1 t. butter, and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and boil for a few seconds. Add 1 lb. finely chopped dates and cook to a soft ball stage (240 F). Stir in 2 C. chopped walnuts and beat until cool enough to handle. Shape into 2 rolls on waxed paper. Remove to clean, damp tea towel and cool until firm enough to slice into 1/4th inch slices.

Makes about 7 doz. I put this in the ice box to make firmer and sprinkle powdered sugar on it before slicing just for looks.

Contributed by Ruby.
 
Microwave Divinity

2 C. sugar
1/3 C water
1/3 C. white syrup
1 t. vanilla
2 egg whites
dash salt
walnuts

Stir sugar and water then cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high 5 minutes. Stir well. Microwave uncovered 4 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes.
Beat in 2 egg whites, dash of salt, and vanilla until stiff. Pour syrup in a thin stream, beating constantly until it holds shape and loses gloss.
Add 2 t. powdered sugar. Drop by teaspoonful on wax paper. Add a walnut to the top of each piece.

Contributed by Stacy Smith. Here is the recipe that my Grandma (Marcine Jones) makes.
 
More Recipes From The Graceland Cookbook

With Christmas coming up thought I would send along some candies from the old Graceland cook book. Enjoy. I remember my Mother making Divinity. Jean

Fondant - One cup sugar, 1 tablespoon white corn syrup, 1/3 cup boiling water. Cook until a soft ball may be formed when tried in cold water. Pour in buttered pan to cool. When pan is almost cold, start beating with a fork and beat until fondant is white and creamy, then knead until perfectly smooth. Many kinds of candy may be made from fondant by adding nuts, figs, dates, cocoanut, etc.

Cream Candy - Two cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons glucose. Boil until threads. Beat until creamy and mould as desired.

Cream Candy - Boil together 4 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon cream tarter. When a soft ball can be formed by dropping into cold water, remove from the fire and pour into two deep dishes. When cool enough to slightly bear the hand on the bottom of the dish, flavor , and if desired add a few drops of fruit coloring and beat with a wooden paddle or spoon. When partially hardened it should be quickly removed from the dish and thoroughly worked with the hands. It is then ready to be molded into small pieces of candy. Many fancy kinds can be made by putting English walnut meats, dates and figs on these pieces. Other varieties may also be made by adding chopped nuts or shredded cocoanut to the syrup after it has been partially beaten.

Nut Cream Candy - Six pounds of sugar, 3 pints milk, 3 pounds glucose, 1 pound nut meats. Boil except nuts, stirring constantly until it reaches 239 or 240 degrees. Add nuts, beat to a cream, pour out on tins to cool.

Peppermint Creams - Two cups sugar, 3/4 cup water, dessert spoon of glucose. Boil together until it forms ball in cold water. When taken from fire, place in cool place until it becomes as thick as glucose. Then beat until creamy, adding 4 or 5 drops of oil of peppermint. Put on stove again, stirring constantly, but not hard, until it thins enough to drop. Then drop from spoon on oiled paper. Half can be colored pink if desired.

Nut Nougat - Four cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons glucose, 1 pint cream. Cool until it forms soft ball in water. When cool stir in flavoring and 2 cups nut meats. Beat until creamy. Pour out on marble slab, then mold.

Taffy - Eight pounds granulated sugar, water enough to wet up sugar and glucose, 2 1/2 pounds glucose, a few shavings of paraffin, butter size of a hickory nut. Boil to 265 degrees. Pour out till cool enough to pull. Flavor with lemon, or what you like, while pulling. Do note stir while cooking.

Marshmallows - Two cups sugar, 6 tablespoons boiling water. Boil till it threads. Two tablespoons Knox's gelatin, 6 tablespoons cold water over gelatin. mix the two together and stir thirty minutes. Cut in cakes and roll in powdered sugar.

Divinity Candy - Two and one half cups sugar, 1/2 cup of boiling water, 1/2 cup corn syrup. Boil until it forms a soft ball in cold water, beat the whites of two eggs, putting in a little salt and vanilla flavoring, beat half of the syrup into the eggs and then put the rest back on the stove and let boil until it crackles in water, then beat it into first mixture, add nuts and beat well, pour into buttered pan and cut in squares.
 
Pride of Iowa Cookies

1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup shortening/butter flavored Crisco, 2 eggs, 1 cup coconut, 2 1/2 cup quick rolled oats, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup chopped nuts.

Cream sugars and shortening. Add eggs, beat well. Add coconut, nuts and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, soda and baking powder together. Add to creamed mixture. Add oatmeal. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon on baking sheet and press down with fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until lightly browned.

Contributed by Janette Welch
 
GRANDMA SNETHEN'S SUGAR COOKIES
2 c. sugar1 tsp. soda
1 scant c. lard1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs1 tsp. nutmeg or other flavoring
1 c. clabber (sour) milk


Cream sugar and lard. Add well-beaten eggs. Blend in milk, soda, salt and nutmeg. Add flour until it rolls nicely. She always put a red hot in the middle of each cookie. Bake at 350-degrees until nicely brown.

Prudence Flanagan Snethen, great-grandmother of Conni McDaniel Hall.
 
BURNT SUGAR COOKIES
1 heaping c. sugar1 tsp. soda
1 c. shortening2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk4 c. sifted flour
3 Tbsp. burnt sugar

Cream sugar and shortening. Beat eggs slightly and add. Mix and sift dry ingredients. Add burned sugar and vanilla, and then alternate the addition of buttermilk with dry ingredients. Drop by spoon onto well oiled cookie sheet. Bake in hot oven. Ice with your favorite icing.

Mrs. Ed (Lottie) Downey, The Art of Cooking in Lamoni, Lamoni Federated Garden Club, Lamoni, Iowa.

 

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