Have you ever tried to recreate a legend? That’s what I attempted. I don’t think I did too bad either. Didn’t quite do it, but I wasn’t too far off.
Ms. Helen is a long-time family friend on my husband’s side of the family and for years and years, at Christmas time, one thing he has always looked forward to is Ms. Helen’s sugar cookies. Oh my goodness. These things melt in your mouth. Just slightly crispy on the outside, soft and chewy and buttery inside.
Now that she’s moved away, though, we don’t always get those cookies. So this year I managed to get the recipe from my mother-in-law and tried it. My husband said they turned out pretty well. Still not completely like Ms. Helen’s – but good just the same.
Enjoy! And share your own recipe for another chance to win a copy of My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife! Do you have a “Ms. Helen” in your life whose recipes you treasure?
Tomorrow’s Cookie (and final chance to win a copy of the book!) - Chocolate Mint Cookies with drizzled green sugar icing. My favorite this season – even Ms. Nancy loved them!
Ms. Helen’s Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup oleo (NOTE: I had to google this – I used butter)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Crisco oil
2 eggs
1 t. cream of tartar
1 t. salt
1 scant t. soda (NOTE: Not sure what “scant” means, lol – so I used a little less than a teaspoon of baking soda)
1 t. vanilla
4 cups flour
Directions
Mix & put in cool place overnight – make into balls & dip in sugar & press down (NOTE: Don’t be afraid of making these a little flatter than what you might think – they come out soft and buttery and sugar crumbly goodness). Bake at 350 until brown. Scorches very easily.
Amber’s white chocolate chip, cranberry almond cookies
I just kinda threw these together because they sounded good and I had all the stuff on hand.
2 1/4 c. Flour
3/4 c. Light brown sugar
3/4 c. White sugar
2 sticks salted butter softened not melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1 c. White chocolate chips
1/2 c. Chopped cranberries
1/4 chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 375
Mix sugars, eggs, butter, salt, baking soda, extracts until well mixed. Add in flour. It gets thick. Mix in almonds, cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonfuls on to ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for about 8 minutes. Original recipe says 9-11 but I like mine a little gooey so I let them barely brown. Then let cool.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
Our neighbor used to make these and bring them over to share. I don’t know if hers used a cake mix, but this is as close as I could get to duplicating hers. Merry Christmas!
Snowball Cookies
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups quick rolled oats
1 (18.25 oz.) package white cake mix
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts(I prefer pecans)
Powdered sugar
1. HEAT oven to 350°F.
2. COMBINE oil and oats. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in cake mix, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Fold in nuts. Form into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. BAKE 8 minutes or until set. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Remove cookies to cooling rack. Roll in powdered sugar while still slightly warm.