Your Auntie Vikki used to make these delicious cookies every year. The recipe came from Sue Caiazzo, her former mother-in-law, and your cousin Tony's grandma. Auntie Vikki used to make (and probably still does) Lemon Drops, Chocolate Drops, Hand Cookies, and Jelly-Nut Loaves. At one time I did too, but it was a lot of work and a good lot of the cookies ended up wasted. Now, I only make two out of the four. This year I made Lemon Drops and my own rendition of Jelly-Nut Loaves, which I loved even better than the original (sooooo much easier)! Here are the recipes (NOTE: each of these recipes requires the same basic ingredients and the same frosting.)
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| Peanut Butter Blossoms and Mama's Italian Cookies |
(makes at least 3 dozen)
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small bottle of lemon extract (1 oz.)
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix together, by hand, all ingredients in a large bowl. If the dough seems too oily add more flour until a stiffer dough develops. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased baking pan. Flatten cookies a bit with the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake for 11-12 minutes (until barely golden on the bottom). Let cookies cool on a wire rack. Frost with a mixture of confectioners sugar and water: Add a little water to 1 pound of conf. sugar and stir with a fork. Add only enough water to make a thick drizzle. Dip each cookie into the frosting and let it air dry on the wire rack. Pour the extra frosting into the corner of a plastic bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle patterns on the dried cookies. Let dry again.
Jelly-Nut Thumbprints (pictured--Mama's version)
(makes at least 3 dozen)
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small bottle of anise extract (1 oz.)
small jar seedless raspberry jam
chopped pecans
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix together, by hand, all ingredients in a large bowl. If the dough seems too oily add more flour until a stiffer dough develops. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased baking pan. Flatten cookies a bit with the bottom of a drinking glass. Use your thumb and create a well in the middle of each cookie. Fill each well with a little raspberry jam. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake for 11-12 minutes (until barely golden on the bottom). Let cookies cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with a mixture of confectioners sugar and water: Add a little water to 1 pound of conf. sugar and stir with a fork. Add only enough water to make a thick drizzle. Pour the frosting into the corner of a plastic bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle patterns on the cookies. Let dry on the wire rack.
Jelly-Nut Loaves
(makes close to 3 dozen)
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small bottle of anise extract (1 oz.)
small jar seedless raspberry jam
chopped pecans
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar
colored dots (sprinkles)
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix together, by hand, all ingredients in a large bowl. If the dough seems too oily add more flour until a stiffer dough develops. Divide dough into thirds and roll each out until a thin rectangle. Spread jam all over and sprinkle on nuts. Carefully roll up and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a light golden brown. Frost with the same water/conf. sugar mixture. Sprinkle with colored dots while wet. When dry, slice each loaf on the diagonal.
Chocolate Drops
(makes at least 3 dozen)
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small bottle of almond extract (1 oz.)
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar
Marciano cherries, cut in halves
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix together, by hand, all ingredients in a large bowl. If the dough seems too oily add more flour until a stiffer dough develops. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased baking pan. Flatten cookies a bit with the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake for 11-12 minutes (until barely golden on the bottom). Let cookies cool on a wire rack. Dip each cookie in water and conf. sugar mixture and let it air dry on the wire rack. Pour the extra frosting into the corner of a plastic bag. Cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle patterns on the dried cookies. Press a cherry half into the center of each cookie. Let dry again.
Hand Cookies
(makes at least 3 dozen)
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 cup oil
1 small bottle of anise extract (1 oz.)
1 box (1 lb.) confectioners sugar
colored dots (sprinkles)
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly mix together, by hand, all ingredients in a large bowl. If the dough seems too oily add more flour until a stiffer dough develops. Roll into "snakes" and form into the letter "S" and snail shapes. Bake for 11-12 minutes (until barely golden on the bottom). Let cookies cool on a wire rack. Dip each cookie in water and conf. sugar mixture, sprinkle with colored dots, and let it air dry on the wire rack.
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