It's Cookie Time

Last night I started my cookies. I made a batch of Pumpkin Cookies. They turned out quite good. A lot different than I expected.


PUMPKIN COOKIES
1/2 C. Shortening (this year I used Cannola Oil)
1-1/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 C. Canned Pumpkin
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Nutmeg(I was out of Nutmeg since it was started, substituted All Spice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 1/2 C. flour (the old fashioned recipe that I've followed for years specifies Cake Flour and I don't buy that just sifted regular flour and used it.)
4 tsp baking powder
1 C. Raisins
1 C. Chopped Nuts
1 tsp. Lemon Extract.

Cream shortening and sifted sugar thoroughly. (use and electric mixer) Add eggs, pumpkin and seasonings. Blend well. Sift flour and baking powder together, stir in raisins and nuts. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and beat for about 1 minute. Blend in Extract. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 36 to 40.
(I found a long time ago if you put to much dough into a teaspoon takes longer to bake and makes them hard. For nice soft cookies with crip edges keep to the recipe.
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I have several old recipes that I started to use the first year I was married. That would have been 54 years ago in June, 2010. Thereafter when the kids started coming along, I made more and more. One time I made Pfeffernusse. It took forever. Never did make them again. Perhaps, another time when I'm not rushed will make them again. They are very good!

PHEFFERNUSSE

5 Eggs beaten
2 C. Sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3 T. Lemon Juice
1/2 C. citron or other candied fruit or fruit peel, chopped.
6 C. Cake flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Cloves
1/2 tsp. Nutmet
1/2 tsp. Mace
1 T. Cinnamon
1/2 C. Chopped Nuts

Beat egg well. Add sugar about two tablespoons at a time and beat
thoroughly with each addition. Add lemon rind and juice, finely
chopped citron, the dry ingredients which have been mixed and sifted
together, and the finely chopped nuts. Chill at least an hour, roll
1/2 inch thick and cut out with a pfeffernusse cutter. A round cutter
about 7/8 of an inch in diameter (small medicine bottle just about
right) Place pfeffernusse on a cookie sheet and let stand overnight
in a cool place to dry. The next morning before baking, invert each
cookie and put a drop of fruit juice or brandy on the moist spot on
the bottom of the cookie and bake upside down. This tends to make
the pfeffernusse "pop". Bake in slow 300 degrees for 8 minutes.
This recipe makes 180 to 200 cookies. Let riped and soften before using.
Please, let me know if you make the pfeffernusse.
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What could be better than the Good Old Duncan Hines Peanut Butter Cookies.

Duncan Hines Cake Cookies
Ingredients:
1 white cake mix
½ C. Oil
2 T. Water
2 eggs
1 Cup Peanut Butter
Directions:
Mix all, drop by Teaspoons onto cookie sheet, flatten with fork.
Bake 350 degrees 8 to 10 minutes.

Wish I had a quarter for every single one on this recipe I have made.
Where ever I hid them, my kids found them. By Christmas had to make more.
Am making them this year. Also Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookies.
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FAMOUS QUAKER OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. firmly packed Imperial brown sugar
1/2 c. Imperial granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. Quaker oatmeal, uncooked
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together shortening, Imperial sugars, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Combine and add remaining dry ingredients; mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. For variety, add chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips or coconut. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
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Grandma’s Ginger Molasses Cookies
December 11, 2002
MAKES 25 LARGE COOKIES
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3-1/2 cups sugar, divided (see Note)
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 large eggs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves and cinnamon.
With an electric mixer, beat together butter, shortening and 3 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well.
In a small shallow bowl, put remaining 1/2 cup sugar (or raw sugar, see Note). Form dough into 25 two-inch balls and roll each in sugar. On baking sheets, arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake cookies in batches for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies to racks to cool.
Note: For smaller, freshly baked cookies whenever you please, form the dough into logs about 2 inches in diameter and chill them. When you want homemade cookies, cut a few 1/4-inch-thick discs, sprinkle with sugar and bake.
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Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
1 C. Shortening
1 C. Sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 C. Sour Cream
5 Cups flour (sifted)
2 tsp. Baking powder
1-1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla to sour cream. Sift teghther the flour baking powder, salt and baking soda and add altenately with the liquid to shortening and sugar mixture. Chill thoroughly. Roll out on pastry cloth 1/4 inch thick. Cut with large cutter (about 2-1/2 inches in diameter) Sprinkle with sugar and press in lightly. Bake in moderate oven, 375 degrees 15 minutes. Makes 100 3 inch cookies.

Keep all cookies tightly covered until serving time.

Well, I've made enough cookies for tonight and my mouth is watering so for a cookie, think I better stop before the computer monitor takes a bath. LOL