Countdown to Christmas Day 6 - Aunt Lena's Filled Cookies

Today (or more accurately, tonight) I'm sharing with you an old family recipe for some awesome filled cookies.  I used to make these as Christmas gifts for my friends, but since I don't like raisins or dates, I never actually tried them myself!  Then one day I thought, what the heck -- everyone begs me to make these cookies -- I should try them to see what all the fuss is about.  I discovered that they're REALLY GOOD!!!!  DESPITE the raisins and dates!!!!


Aunt Lena's Filled Cookies

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups shortening
• 1 cup sour milk*
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 cups flour

* If you don't have sour milk, just add a little vinegar to some fresh milk.

Filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup chopped raisins, dates or nuts (I actually combine all three in my cookies)

Instructions

Combine all cookie ingredients except flour, and stir until well blended.  Stir in flour, one cup at a time, to form a soft dough.  Mix filling ingredients together and cook over low heat until thick.  On floured surface, roll cookie dough to about 1/4" thickness.  Use cookie cutter or top edge of glass to cut out 2" diameter circles.  Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of one circle.  Dab raw egg yolk around edge of circle, then top with another circle.  Crimp or press fork into the dough around the edges to hold the top and bottom together.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

NOTE:  You will probably use three batches of filling before you run out of the cookie dough, but because the dough is so good by itself, I often use the extra dough to make Christmas cut-out cookies (reduce baking time to 8 minutes), and then frost them with powdered sugar icing.

Yes, they are kind of a pain to make, but so worth it!  I hope you try them.

Cathy  ;D

P.S.  Since yesterday's post was really not a countdown-worthy post, but rather just an announcement, I'll try to make up for it with an extra one over the weekend.