Like a lot of children, I helped my mom bake Christmas cookies, even before I was tall enough to reach the counter. It was one of my favorite things about the holidays. We'd put on Christmas music, our Christmas aprons and then take out the Fannie Merritt Farmer Cookbook (1952) to choose our recipes. I still have that cookbook. The cover is gone, pages are stained and ripped, but I still use it.
Here's one of my favorites from the cookbook: Cape Cod oatmeal cookies. The smell of the cinnamon and molasses brings instant memories to mind.
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: Makes about 75 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, well beaten
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup melted lard (or shortening)
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 3/4 cups oatmeal
- 1 cup seeded raisins or nutmeats, cut fine, or 1/2 cup each (you can substitute chocolate chips if you don't like raisins)
Here's how to make it:
- Mix and sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Stir in other ingredients.
- Arrange teaspoonfuls on a buttered cookie or parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. (If you want perfectly round cookies, try my mother's trick: roll the dough into balls and place on the cookie sheet. Press down just a little before baking.)
- Bake at 325 degrees F until edges are browned, about 12 minutes.
Note: For thicker cookies, use 2 cups oatmeal and 1 3/4 cups flour. (I like the thicker cookie recipe best.)
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