Traditional Raspberry Linzer Cookies (Sara Popson)
Ingredients: 2/3 c. whole almonds or 1 cup almond flour; 1/2 c. brown sugar; packed 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 c. unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 large egg; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 tbs. powdered sugar (for dusting). 1- 12-oz jar of seedless raspberry preserves.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant (6-10 minutes.
3. Let almonds cool and whisk together flour, baking powder. salt, and cinnamon in a med. bowl.
4. Process the almonds and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar in the food processor until finely ground. Pulse! Do not continuously process or you will make almond butter.
5. In a large bowl beat together remaining brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
6. With mixer on low gradually add in the almonds then the flour mixture until completely incorporated. Do not over mix!
7. Separate the dough into two disks and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.
8. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out equal amount of top (shape with cutout) and bottoms.
9. Bake the tops and bottoms on separate parchment lined cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes rotating halfway through.
10. Dust tops with powdered sugar after cooling.
11. Spread raspberry preserves on each bottom cookie leaving small border and match with tops.
Baklava Cookies (Carolyn Morris) (Makes Two Dozen) (Freezes well)
Ingredients: 1c. White Sugar; ½ c. Butter; 2 Eggs; 1 tsp. each: Almond & Vanilla; 2 ¼ c. Flour; 1 tsp. Baking Powder; ½ tsp. Salt. Filling: (½ c. honey and ¾ c. finely chopped walnuts)
Mix together, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls
Bake 8 Minutes. Remove from oven and make indent in each one.
Fill indent with honey and chopped walnuts. Sprinkle with 3 tbs. sugar & 2 tsp. cinnamon
Return to the oven and bake an additional 7-9 minutes
Shirley’s Cookies (Mary McCollum) (Makes about five dozen cookies)
Ingredients: 1 c. soft shortening; 1 c. brown sugar; 1 c. white sugar; 2 eggs; 1 c. sour or buttermilk; 2 tsp. vanilla; (Add) 4 c. flour; 1tsp.soda; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. salt.
Beat with mixer.
Add chocolate chips, nuts or raisins.
Drop by spoon on cookie sheet. Bake 375 degrees F (10-12 minutes)
English Cookies (Mary McCollum) (Makes about 80 cookies)
Ingredients: 1 c. shortening (softened); 1 c. brown sugar; 1 c. white sugar; 1 c. cold coffee; 2 eggs; 2 c. (stewed raisins or chocolate chips or even nuts); 1 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. soda; ½ tsp. nutmeg; ½ tsp. cinnamon.
Add enough flour to stiffen to drop by spoon on cookie sheet.
Bake until brown.
Peanut Butter Blossoms (from the late Raymond Rankin of Carmichaels, PA)
Ingredients:
1 C. of Shortening (Crisco) ;1 C. of Creamy Peanut Butter
1 C. of Sugar (plus extra for rolling); 1 C. of Brown Sugar
2 Eggs; 4 Tbs of Milk; 2 Tsp. of Vanilla Extract; 1 Tsp. of Salt; 3.5 C. of All-Purpose Flour;
1 Pound of Classic Hershey’s Kisses
Instructions:
• Mix cream together with shortening, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar for at least 2 minutes.
• After, add eggs, milk, and vanilla.
• Once wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add dry ingredients and mix for at least 2 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove Kisses from foil wrappers and set aside in a separate bowl. Pour extra sugar into a bowl for rolling.
• Using a 1 Tablespoon sized cookie scoop, mold dough into small balls and roll them in the sugar. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet at least an inch apart.
• Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Once the initial 8 minutes is over, remove from the oven and add Kisses to the middle of the cookies. Replace it in oven for another 2 minutes.
• Once finished, remove cookies from the oven and put them onto the cooling area (rack or parchment paper-lined surface). Cool for at least half an hour before storing.
• Can be stored at room temperature for up to a week and for up to 3 months if frozen.
