Scottish Shortbread and Other Delicacies

It was tempting to wait until Christmas to re-post Mom's Shortbread Recipe from Family Search Memories, but seriously - who wouldn't eat this all year if given the opportunity!!

And for fun - scroll down for some other favorite family cookie recipes!!

The photo above shows Mom's famous Shortbread recipe in her own handwriting.

photo from epicurious.com

Shortbread

• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 2-1/2 cups flour 
• Work sugar and butter together till light and creamy. 
• Add rest of ingredients and work till smooth.
• Divide into 4 rounds and flatten. Pinch edges, prick almost through in 1/8ths. Sprinkle with sugar. 
• Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 mins till pale brown.

While we're on the subject of treats, wouldn't it be fun to share some of the recipes

from the Forman Girls from the first family cookbook, published back in 1987? The cookbook began as a compilation of recipes from our monthly family newsletters. A second edition was published in 1992. Someone ought to take on the task of pulling together the recipes from the newsletters that came after! Any volunteers??

COOKIES from Hand-Me-Down Recipes from the Forman Family (1987)

Craig Lee for The New York Times

Linda:  Peanut Blossoms (from Mark's mother, Gladys Cottrell)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3-1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Roll in balls, and then in sugar. Bake 375 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet. Put a chocolate star on each one immediately. [or use a Hersheys Kiss]

photo from BlissfullyDelicious.com

Kathi: Chocolate Scotcheroos

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal 

Cook sugar and syrup over low heat till it bubbles around the edges. Remove from heat, add peanut butter. Mix and pour over Rice Krispies, coating evenly.

Spread with:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips.

Melt over low heat in a double boiler, or very carefully in the microwave.

Pour into 9x13" pan or large cookie sheet with sides. 

(If using the large cookie sheet, then melt 2 cups of each type of chips. You won't be sorry!)

photo from greenschemetv.net

Claire: Oatmeal Bars

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 3 cups oatmeal

Cream butter, add other ingredients. It will be stiff. Add oatmeal, mix by spoon, not mixer. Put in greased cookie sheet with sides. Spread out evenly. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting Glaze:

• 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• vanilla to taste
• milk--to make spreading consistency

Spread on hot bars.

Photo by Lydia Marie on Unsplash

Annette: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Gingerbread Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1-1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 4 teaspoons orange rind
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat butter and brown sugar on high. Beat in egg, orange juice and rind. Sift flour with remaining ingredients and stir into sugar and egg mixture. Cover; refrigerate until chilled. Heat over to 375 degrees. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 1/4" thick on lightly floured board. (Do make it thick unless you like crispy cookies.) Use a 2" cookie cutter (boy, girl, star, etc.) Cut into shapes. Bake on ungreased cookies sheet, 7-10 minutes. Makes 150-2" cookies.

Let's end with Mom's recipe for Empire Biscuits, a favorite Christmas cookie from Scotland. Recipes abound on the internet but virtually none include the most important ingredient in the dough: cinnamon!

from Londoneats.wordpress.com

Mom/Grammy/Terry: Empire Biscuits (you should double or triple the recipe!)

                                                           1 cup flour
                                                        1/4 cup sugar
                                                  1 teaspoon cinnamon
                                                        1/2 cup butter
                                                 1/2 c. powdered sugar
                                                          cold water
                                                         jam or jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour with sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until like cornmeal. (You can use your hands!) Knead lightly and chill. Roll out dough on well-floured board and cut out small circles. (scallops are pretty!) Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 8-10 minutes until just golden around the edges. Cool.

Mix powdered sugar with 1-1/2 teaspoons cold water. Spread on half the biscuits. Spread jam on the other half, and sandwich together.

 Top with colored sugar or sprinkles or a bit of candied cherry.