Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you enjoy oatmeal raisin cookies, you will love these special ones of Marla’s. The strong sweet flavor of the almond extract enhances the spicy Vietnamese cinnamon and makes these cookies scrumptious. Make sure you bake a double batch because they will go fast. Great idea for a summer picnic or reunion. Enjoy! Vicky

Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup raisins

1 ½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon

Directions:

Using a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and both sugars.

Beat in the vanilla and eggs

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and oats;  add this to the creamy mixture gradually

Stir in the raisins

Using a tablespoon of cookie dough, drop 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet

Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

Try one while still warm

Remove to wire racks to cool

 

 

 

 

Get Free Recipe Card HERE

 

Get Printable Recipe Page HERE

I have never been there, but family members are always bragging about a cookie they would get at the Harrison Bakery in Syracuse, New York. They called it the Half Moon Cookie. I just had to find out about this little delicacy so I set out to find the recipe. Wow! Not only did I find many variations of this cookie, I found multiple names for it. Seems like this is a popular little cookie.

   
 

Half Moon Cookies

Black and White Cookies

Amerikaners

   
 

Each recipe differs a bit too. There are chocolate cookies and vanilla cookies. Some come with a simple confectioner’s frosting and some with butter cream frosting.

   
 

Several were a thinner, crispier cookie, while various ones were a thick chewy type cookie.

   
 

I decided to try the following recipe, and I was very happy with the results.

   
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Makes approximately 30 cookies (unless, of course, you are a dough eater like I am)

Cookie Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups cake flour
3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder – the better grade the cocoa the better the cookie
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

Cookie Preparations

Cream the sugar, brown sugar and the shortening.
Add egg to the mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder until cocoa is distributed throughout.
Add this to the wet ingredients and alternate with milk a little at a time, mixing well, until thoroughly combined.

This mixture will resemble a thick cake batter.

Scoop and drop onto lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and remove from oven.

Before placing on a wire rack to cool, let the cookies sit on the pan for a minute or two.

   
 

Frosting Ingredients

4 TBL (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
3 TBL hot milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce melted bittersweet chocolate (reserve this for the chocolate half of cookie)

Combine all ingredients except the cocoa.
Beat until smooth.
Divide this mixture in half.
Add the melted chocolate to half the mixture and stir well.

Keeping the frosting slightly warmer than room temperature allows for easier spreading.

   
 

A couple of tips, using a cookie scoop (an ice cream scoop will work too) works best. I used a 1 ½ tablespoon one.

Do not freeze these cookies. They will come out very hard and dry.

Wrapping each one separately in plastics keeps them nice and fresh. This is quite a job, however. And of course, well just more temptation to eat more!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

A printable version of this is available Half Moon Cookie Recipe

And we have a free printable recipe card available Half Moon Cookie Recipe Card

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Pecan Linzer Cookies  Cherry Filling

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup cherry jam, strained 

Directions
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse pecans, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Martha always has just the right recipe for the right occasion. This is definitely a cookie I will make again.

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