Days 11 and 12 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies!

Well, my dear reader, today is the last day of our 12 days of Christmas Cookies. Was really busy yesterday and it was late, very late in the day when I realized I hadn't done my blog! Horrors! So I decided to combine it with today's cookies and have a big blow out.

Going through my mom's recipe box, I found this first cookie. I don't remember ever making it, but I got a chuckle from a note about one ingredient, so I thought I would include it, along with the comment. I am pretty sure this is another of my Grandmother's recipes, due to the fact that it is typed out on an index card.

Fruit Cake Cookies

1/2 lb citron, chopped

1 lb dates, cut crosswise 3 or 4 times

1 lb cherries, chopped

1 lb pineapple, chopped

3 cups flour

4 eggs

6 cups nuts, or less

1/2 lb white raisins

1/2 lb butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 3 Tablespoons sweet milk

1 fruit juice glass of Brandy or Wine (Mrs. Conder used Brandy) 

Cream butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Sift spices with flour and put 1 cup flour mixture over fruit and nuts. Combine brandy, milk and soda. Add alternately dry and liquid ingredients. Add fruit and nuts to batter. Finally fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Drop on cookie sheet and bake about 20 minutes at 300*. These cookies keep well and can be baked ahead of the Christmas rush. 

I can just see my Grandmother, sitting in her kitchen with a neighbor sharing recipes at the holidays and making a note such as Mrs. Conder used Brandy on the recipe for future reference. Who was Mrs. Conder? Was she the neighbor she shared recipes with? A relative? A distant family member? Who knows, I surely don't, but I think it adds a bit of history to these cookies. I can imagine with all of the dried fruit this had to be an expensive recipe to make, so was it post WWII? A recipe to celebrate good times returning? Would be interesting to know!

Lacy Swedish Almond Wafers

Cook and stir until smooth: 1 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 Tablespoons flour, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1/8 teaspoon salt. Then add 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted blanched almonds. Drop by level Tablespoons onto lightly greased AND floured cookie sheet, about 4 inches apart. Place only 4 to 6 cookies at one time on a cooky sheet. Bake in 350* oven 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheet. Carefully lift with wide spatula and place over broomstick to shape. Cool. If cookies harden before removing from cooky sheet, return to oven for a few seconds to soften. Makes 18 (4 to 5 inch) cookies. Remember to grease and flour cookie sheet each time you bake.

I remember these, and it was not pretty when we made them, because they just broke apart trying to get off the cookie sheet... but they were sure tasty! If they shatter on you, sprinkle over fruit or ice cream! I think since I have a lot more baking experience now then when we first tried them, I might have better luck... maybe even get some of the metal cones to shape them with instead of a broomstick. 

Cheese Kiffles

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 lb butter

1 small carton cottage cheese

Mix together with hands into smooth ball, creamy, not sticky. Divide into 2 pieces--roll in waxed paper--refrigerate overnight.  Roll out like pie dough on floured waxed paper. Cut into 3 1/2 inch squares. Sprinkle with cinnamon. On each square put 1/4 walnut and 1/2 teaspoon Pineapple-Apricot preserves. Fold over into a triangle. Squeeze edges together. Bake at 375* 15 minutes or until brown. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar. 

Pecan Caramel Bars

2/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

28 Kraft Caramels

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour; mix well. Press dough onto bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 375* for 15 minutes. Melt caramels with water and butter in saucepan over low heat; stir occasionally until smooth. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Gradually add caramel sauce; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour over crust. Continue baking for 15 minutes. Cool, cut into bars. 

Lemon Snowballs

Mix together-- 1/2 cup soft shortening or butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1 egg

Stir in--3 Tablespoons strained lemon juice

1 Tablespoons water

Sift and stir in--1 3/4 cups sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Stir in--1/2 cup finally chopped nuts.

Flour hands and form dough into balls the size of small walnuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cooky sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Roll immediately in powdered sugar. 

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Well my friends, that is the last cookie recipe of the 12 days of Christmas Cookies. I really hope that you have enjoyed the cookies and the snippets into my childhood memories. I have certainly have enjoyed sharing them with you! This will be my last post until after Christmas, so I want to take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and I will see you after this weekend! 

Be safe, happy baking and happy crafting!!

Karen