Buz's Favourite Holiday Cooky Recipes
Impressionable Cookies (to be used with cookie
press molds)
- butter, 1 cup or 1/2 lb. (223 grams)
- brown sugar, 1/2 cup firmly packed
- honey, 3 tablespoons
- egg yolks, uncooked, 2
- egg yolks, hard cooked, 2
- almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon
- lemon extract, 1/2 teaspoon
- vanilla, 1 teaspoon
- flour, all-purpose, unsifted, 4 cups
Directions: Beat butter and brown sugar until blended.
Add honey, uncooked egg yolks, mixing well. Mash finely hard cooked
egg yolks with a fork and blend into butter mixture with extracts
of almond, lemon and vanilla. Mix in 4 cups flour, unsifted. Use
at room temperature. Shape dough for each type of form. Before
making each impression, dust old well with flour then shake out
excess. Scrape or brush molds to remove any dough that sticks.
Bake shaped dough at 135°C (275°F) for 35-45 minutes
(time varies with thickness of cookies) until firm when lightly
touched, and it has an even, deep gold colour. Cool on baking
sheet 5 minutes, then transfer with a wide spatula to wire racks
and cool completely. Store airtight up to one week at room temperature;
freeze for longer storage. Makes 18-20 cookies, each about 5x10cm.
(From Sunset Magazine, December 1972)
Dough Ho Ho! (Julia Child's Gingerbread dough recipe)
(to be used with cookie press molds)
- butter, 1 cup or 1/2 lb. (223 grams)
- sugar, 1/2 cup
- brown sugar, 1/2 cup
- eggs, 2
- salt, 1/8 teaspoon
- cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
- ginger, 1 teaspoon
- cardamom, 1 teaspoon
- cloves, 1/2 teaspoon
- nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon
- flour, all purpose, unsifted, 2.5 cups
Directions: Cream butter, sugars, until soft and fluffy.
Beat in eggs. When thoroughly blended, add salt, spices, and flour.
Beat until mixer is about to clog. Turn out on board and knead
in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Wrap in plastic
and refrigerate 24 hours. To make a large molded cookie, flour the mold
very thoroughly, shake off excess. Roll chilled dough 1/4 inch
thick (5mm) in shape of mold, press in, and even off edges of
the design. Carefully turn mold over and lift it slowly off the
cookie. You may need to loosen it here and there with a table
knife. If necessary to fit oven divide on buttered and floured
cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F (177°C) about 15 minutes.
Edges should be starting to brown and the cookie should feel set.
(from Life Magazine, 1972. vol 73, no 24, p. 84)
Fruitcake Cooky Cups
- butter, 1/2 cup or 1/4 lb. (110 grams)
- brown sugar, 1 cup firmly packed
- eggs, 4
- vanilla, 2 teaspoon
- jelly (apple, currant or plum), 1/4 cup
- flour, all-purpose, unsifted, 3 cups
- soda, 4 teaspoons
- allspice, 1 teaspoon
- cloves, 1 teaspoon
- cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
- nutmeg, 1 teaspoon
- pecans, 2 cup
- raisins (sultanas), 2 cups
- candied glacé cherries and/or chopped fruit cake mix, 2 cups total
Directions: Beat together butter, brown sugar and jelly
until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, soda
and spices; stir half into creamed mixture. Combine remaining
flour with nuts, sultanas and cherries (or fruitcake mix). Blend
well. Spoon about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons batter into each paper bonbon
cup and place about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet; or drop by
teaspoon-full about 2 inches apart directly on lightly greased
baking sheets. Bake in a 150°C (300°F) oven for about
17 to 20 minutes or until centres spring back when touched. Cool
on racks. Makes about 6 dozen.
(From Sunset Magazine, December 1972)
Document created by Buz Wilson, Australian Museum
buz.wilson@austmus.gov.au