Why Not Go Back in Time and Bake Up Some Old Fashion Cookies for Family and Friends

Nothing says love to family and friends better than a batch of fresh from the oven homemade cookies. Those cookies in the colorful bags at the grocery store just can't compare to the love you put in yours. Try these recipes from my old fashion recipe collection for your next baking project. And surprise friends at the next cookie exchange with a cookie from the past.

ESKIMO COOKIES

This very old recipe was handwritten on a piece of scrap paper in my late grandmother's old recipe box that I purchased from her estate in the 1970s. I have no idea how long she'd had it or where she got it. I am assuming she copied it down from a local radio program that was popular in our rural community when I was a child. It was a program where neighbors shared recipes, items they wanted to give away, sell, etc. All we have here is a list of the ingredients. There are no instructions for making.

1 1/2 stick butter
3 T. cocoa
1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. water
2 cup oats
3/4 cup sugar

It amazes me the number of recipes I come across in old files that only list ingredients. I guess the cooks from our past did so much cooking and baking that it all just came naturally to them.

GUM DROP COOKIES

This is an old recipe that was served at club meetings in Southern Indiana where I was born and raised. Back in the day when ladies attended "club" meetings for everything from sewing to playing bridge, they took refreshments. These were popular cookies at those meetings.

2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 cup broken nut meats
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter or shortening
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup gum drops, diced

Cream together the sugar and butter or shortening, add beaten eggs. Sift flour, soda, cream of tartar together and add to creamed mixture. Add the diced gum drop candies and vanilla and nut meats. Drop batter from teaspoon onto lightly greased baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Note: The spiced gum drops are really good in these cookies. Do not use the licorice ones.

NO BAKE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This is an old hand written recipe from my late mother's recipe files. I remember her making these cookies for a school function when I was in high school in the 60s. They were so good my Home Economics teacher asked me to bring her the recipe!

1 egg
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup chopped spanish peanuts

Beat egg and add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Add the peanut butter and butter then the last cup of powdered sugar. Shape mixture into balls and roll in the chopped peanuts. Use the blender to chop up the nuts.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com For more of her dessert or sweets recipes visit her at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com