More often than not, Grandma’s Cookie ‘Jar’ was filled with one or the other of the cookies below. Store-bought was a rare treat, and even then usually store-brand versions of oreos.

You know, the kind that taste of sawdust and sugar? Yeah. But it made me appreciate the home-made cookies a little more.

Now that I’m grown up (ha!) I miss the old recipes, and after a visit with my cousin the other night, I dug out the cookbook and went through it very carefully.

The “Mom” mentioned in the title would refer to my great-grandmother, Arabella Elizabeth Smith (nee Waddingham).

Mom’s Ginger Snaps

Ingredients

1 c butter
1 c br sugar
1 c molasses (Gram has a note saying 1/2 syrup)
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
flour to roll nicely OR form into balls and press with fork
(Gram has second note saying she added 1 egg)

No baking instructions, but I would assume 325-350 for 10.

The syrup mentioned in her first note would be corn syrup. If using half syrup half molasses, the cookies will be lighter in texture and color. It’s not mentioned in the recipe, so I imagine she just knew from experience – when rolling balls of dough, once they’re formed nicely, roll them a a mix of cinnamon and sugar before putting them on the cookie sheet and pressing.

Mom’s Carmel Cookies (overnight)

Ingredients

1 c butter
2 eggs
2 c br. sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1 c walnuts
3 1/2 c flour

Directions

Sift flour, salt & soda 3 times. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add flour & chopped nuts. Leave in a cool place.

(Gram’s notation – bake at 350 for 9-10 min)

That ‘cool place’ would be the refrigerator nowadays, back when my great-grandmother was making these… I figure it was the cellar or perhaps the well-house. When I’ve made other chilled-dough cookies, I ball the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge for 8-12 hours.

I’ve been wondering why the ‘Carmel’ is in there. Other recipes that reference caramel are spelled correctly, and there is no indication it was an error. A little puzzle…

’til next week!
<3 JL