Molasses Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 tsp baking soda

2 cup flour

½ tsp cloves

½ tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Directions:

Melt shortening in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, let cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Mix together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add the first mixture. Mix well. Chill. Form in 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheets two inches apart. Bake in oven 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Grandmother William’s Labkuchan

Ingredients:

(all fruits can be combined and can simply use a candied fruit mix)

1 quart molasses

1 qt. sour cream

½ pound citron

½ pound almonds

¼ pound orange

¼ pound lemon

2 tsp nutmeg

1 tablespoon cloves

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons soda

1 pound brown sugar

3 qt. flour

Directions:

Batter must be very stiff. Chop candied fruit to smaller pieces. Chop the almonds but not too fine. Mix the nuts with the candied fruit and flour and soda. Mix with rest of the ingredients and let stand over night.

Springerly (more German cookies)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 ½ cup sugar

1 tsp lemon rind

1 tsp anise seed

2 ½ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Directions:

Beat eggs until thick, add sugar gradually. Beat 10 min. Add flavorings and flour. Roll to ¼” thick. Stand until dry, emboss, let dry on board overnight. Bake 300 degrees for 25-30 min.

Jean’s Powdered Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter or margarine

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 egg, unbeaten

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Cream shortening and butter, gradually add powdered sugar, creaming well. Add egg and flavorings. Beat until fluffy. Mix flour with soda and cream of tartar, add and mix well. Stir in pecans. Drop small spoonful on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes, or until creamy tan color. While hot, roll in powdered sugar. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Grandma William’ Pfeffer Nissly (German Cookies)

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 ½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

pinch of pepper

1 even tsp soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

4 cups flour

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Should be very stiff. Put in a few chopped nuts. Drop a teaspoon of batter on buttered cookie sheet and bake in moderate oven. May add glaze of powdered sugar if desired once cookies are baked.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (we used whole wheat flour and I don't think it made a difference)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats (I'd go closer to 2 cups of oats)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (we got these huge milk chocolate chips which were good, but I almost think they made the cookies too sweet...so I'd stick with the semi-sweet)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.