1949 VANILLA COOKIES RECIPE

click to enlarge for easier reading

My mother loved her Workbasket Magazines and would always be anxiously awaiting the nest one to be in the old rural mailbox. I posted the front of this particular one as it was before the covers were produced in color. My mom and my paternal grandma loved crocheting and made items from many of the patterns in these little books. I always looked for the recipes. I posted this whole page as I thought some of you might like to read the Famous Sweethearts section. 

GUM DROP COOKIES

This is an old recipe that was served at club meetings in Southern Indiana where I was born and raised. Back in the day when ladies attended "club" meetings for everything from sewing to playing bridge, they took refreshments. These were popular cookies at those meetings.

2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 cup broken nut meats
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter or shortening
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup gum drops, diced

Cream together the sugar and butter or shortening, add beaten eggs. Sift flour, soda, cream of tartar together and add to creamed mixture. Add the diced gum drop candies and vanilla and nut meats. Drop batter from teaspoon onto lightly greased baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

Note: The spiced gum drops are really good in these cookies. Do not use the licorice ones.

APPLE, RAISIN, OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 cup water 

3 cups Oats with Apple, Raisin, and Spice 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt alternately with the water; mix well. Stir in the oats. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container.

file photo for reference only

BROWNIE BISCOTTI

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
4-oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter, eggs, and vanilla until mixed.  Reduce speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture and just beat until blended.  Using your hands, knead in the almonds and chocolate until combined.

Divide the dough in half.  On a large ungreased cookie sheet, shape each half into a 12-inch by 3-inch log.  Place logs about 3-inches apart.  Bake logs for 30 minutes at 325 degrees.  Remove from oven and cool on the cookie sheet that is placed on wire racks.

When logs are cool, place on cutting boards and cut each log crosswise, using a serrated knife, into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices.  Using a long metal spatula, place slices, top side up, 1/4-inch apart, on the same cookie sheet.  Bake slices 20 minutes at 325 degrees to dry out.  Remove from oven and cool completely on cookie sheet on wire rack.  The biscotti will harden as it cools.

Yield: 36 cookies

Store the cooled biscotti in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.  May be kept in the freezer up to 6 months.

I originally got this recipe years ago from an old Good Housekeeping Magazine.  The author said the recipe was an old family favorite her aunt baked for the whole family ever since she could remember.  She said they were dessert cookies at family gatherings and also eaten with morning coffee and afternoon cappuccino.

ESKIMO COOKIES

This very old recipe was handwritten on a piece of scrap paper in my late grandmother's old recipe box that I purchased from her estate in the 1970s. I have no idea how long she'd had it or where she got it. I am assuming she copied it down from a local radio program that was popular in our rural community when I was a child. It was a program where neighbors shared recipes, items they wanted to give away, sell, etc. All we have here is a list of the ingredients. There are no instructions for making.

1 1/2 stick butter 

3 T. cocoa 

1/2 t. vanilla 

1 T. water 

2 cup oats 

3/4 cup sugar 

It amazes me the number of recipes I come across in old files that only list ingredients. I guess the cooks from our past did so much cooking and baking that it all just came naturally to them.

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BRASILEIRAS (COCONUT COOKIE DROPS)

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For several years I lived next door to an American citizen who came from Brazil.  Her mother would visit often from Brazil and loved to cook.  Even though her mother and I could not speak each other's languages, we learned to communicate effectively often over food.  This is an old Brazilian recipe in honor of my friends.

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablesp. butter OR margarine
1 fresh coconut, grated OR 2 cups flaked coconut
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablesp. flour

In saucepan, boil sugar and water until mixture spins thread when dropped from spoon (about 240 degrees F. on candy thermometer).  Add butter and remaining ingredients, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens--about 5 minutes.  Cool.  Meanwhile, start heating oven to 350 degrees F. When mixture is cool, shape into small balls.  Bake on greased cookie sheets 12 min. or until golden.

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RAISIN FILLED COOKIES

This recipe is from an old church cookbook from the Midwest. 1 cup shortening 1 cup sour cream 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups sugar pinch of salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp soda 4 cups flour (or enough to make a soft dough) Filling: 2 cups raisins, ground 1 level tsp salt 1 tsp vinegar 1 cup hot water 1 cup sugar 2 tbsps flour or cornstarch Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine shortening, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda. Combine the mixture well. Gradually add enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Roll the dough thin and cut out with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Place the filling atop one cookie and cover with another one. Using a fork or your fingers, press down the edges to seal. Bake 6 minutes on the bottom oven rack then move to top rack for 6 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.

file photo for reference

1970S CRANBERRY COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp orange juice
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside.

Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Stir in the milk, orange juice, and egg.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans and the chopped cranberries.

Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls about 2 minutes apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool about 1 minute on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 11 dozen cookies

file photo for reference

 

GIANT RAISIN-SUGAR COOKIES

This is another recipe from my 1970 The COOKIE Book pictured below.

1 1/2 cups shortening (use half butter or margarine)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup dark or golden raisins
Raisins for decorating

Cream first four ingredients together. Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk; mix until blended after each addition.  Stir in 1/2 cup raisins. Chill dough.  Roll small amounts at a time on floured surface to 1/4-in. thickness. Using a 1-lb coffee can, cut into circles. Place on greased cookie sheets. Decorate with raisins. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 min. Makes 1 doz. cookies.

MIRIAM'S CHUNKY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This recipe is from Wanda E. Brunstetter's Amish novel, A Merry Heart.

3/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8-oz) chocolate candy bar, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat margarine, sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate pieces. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Makes four dozen cookies.

OLD TIMEY OATMEAL COOKIES

This recipe is so old, I don't know where it came from.

3/4 cup lard (or shortening)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups uncooked oats

Beat the lard (or shortening), brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water, and vanilla together until creamy. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; blend well. Stir in the oats and drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. 

Variation: Add 3/4 cup raisins for oatmeal raisin cookies.

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POPPY SEED COOKIES

This is another of the clippings from my mother's shoebox collection. So glad she loved clipping/saving recipes. I enjoy seeing these recipes from the '50s and '60s. Lots of memories.

PEANUT BUTTER FINGERS

This recipe is from an old grocery store give-away years ago.

1 pkg active dry yeast
2 tbsp water at 105 to 115 degrees (warm)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 3/4 cup all-purpose and 3/4 cup whole-wheat)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Cocoa Glaze: Recipe follows

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Mix in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, peanut butter, and shortening until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove dough from refrigerator and shape by teaspoonfuls into 2 1/2-inch fingers on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Make the cocoa glaze and dip one end of each cookie into the cocoa glaze.

COCOA GLAZE:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cups baking cocoa
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the powdered sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until of dipping consistency, if needed.

for reference only - not this exact recipe

ICE BOX COOKIES

This recipe was found on an old newspaper clipping. Can you remember having an ice box instead of a refrigerator? Oh-Oh, I can!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup shelled, chopped pistachios

In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg, blending until smooth. Combine the flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in pistachios. Shape the dough into two rolls a little over an inch each in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper* and chill thoroughly in the ice box.

When ready to bake, cut rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices and place on very lighted greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 7 minutes or until barely brown on edges. Makes about six dozen.

Tip: Dough can be refrigerated up to one week. Slice and bake as needed.

*In today's modern kitchens, plastic wrap would work better than waxed paper.

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CHOCOLATE SURPRISE COOKIES

This is an old recipe card I have had for many years. It was part of Great American Home Baking when I was a young mother raising a family. The picture is from the recipe card.

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp cinnamon

25 solid chocolate candies (ie Hershey's Kisses)

1 1/2 tbsp confectioners' sugar

3/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer set on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Combine the flour and cinnamon in another medium bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, Mix well.

Shape the dough into 25 one-inch balls. Flatten each ball into a 2-inch round. Place the rounds 1-inch apart on two ungreased cookie sheets. Place 1 chocolate candy in the center of each round. Enclose the candy with the dough, making sure the candy is completely sealed in the dough. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the hot cookies. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 25 cookies

GERALDINE'S FUDGE COOKIES

This is an old Southern Indiana recipe.

1 cup flour
4 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, and sugar together. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and butter. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

file photo for reference

OLD FASHION SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES

I got this recipe from the internet some time ago. Perhaps some of you would enjoy this recipe. I do not know its origin. I did notice it is dated 2 days after my late husband's birth, and it was titled old fashion then.

WANDA'S GINGER CREAM COOKIES

This recipe is from an old church cookbook.

1/4 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 small egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp soda
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses. Stir in soda which has been dissolved in the hot water. Sift together flour, salt, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon and add to the other ingredients. Chill dough. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until set (when lightly touched with the tip of your finger, almost no imprint remains). While slightly warm, frost with the following icing.

ICING:
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk or cream

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Add a few more drops of milk or cream if the icing is too thick.

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SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

This recipe is from an old cookie cookbook. I can't find a date on the book but it has a retail selling price of 15 cents printed on the front cover. I think that should say something about it being vintage!

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Sift together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter thoroughly to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and shape into two balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten into 7-inch circles, about 1/2-inch thick. Flute the edges to form a scallop. Prick lines on the circles by using a fork, outlining 12 wedges on each circle. Bake in a moderate oven of 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. While still warm, cut along the pricked lines but do not cut all the way through. Cool and break into wedges.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

It says in the cookbook that this recipe actually came over to America from Scotland.

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LEMON WHIPPERSNAPPERS

This recipe is from an old church cookbook.

1 pkg (18.5-oz) lemon cake mix
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cake mix, whipped topping, and egg in a large bowl. When thoroughly combined, drop by teaspoonfuls into the powdered sugar. Roll each around to completely cover. Place on a cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes on greased cookie sheet.

Note: I have made these several times. I have used lemon cake mix as well as others, such as chocolate and strawberry.