Post by Glen Carman aka Delmonico on Jul 11, 2019 0:03:01 GMT -6
Ok, this cookie is somewhat of a mystery to me even though I have eaten it all my life, my Paternal grandmother made this cookie every year at Christmas time and my Dad did also and I have in the past.
I wish I would have asked more questions, Dad who passed away in 2006 knew it had come from her Grandma, likely dating the cookies origins to around the Civil War. I was not interested enough to ask Grandma much about it before the dementia took over, she passed away in 1991.
The recipe has been updated some because it calls for shortening, which came on the market in 1911 but was not popular until the shortages of WWI. My guess is the original used ½ cup of lard.
The fact it uses sour milk and baking soda as well as baking powder makes me guess the original cookie it was developed from did not use baking powder, but that was added along the way to give the cookie more loft, it being more what is often called a cake cookie, without the baking powder it would be more of what we think of as a cookie, leavened but not cake like. If it had not been developed from a plainer cookie with baking powder added for loft, 2 ½ to 3 teaspoons of baking powder and sweet milk would give the same results or the use of self-rising flour.
The orange to make it as well as the English Walnuts used to make it would have been available in Western Iowa in the winter time but would have been a bit pricey, both causing this cookie to be a Christmas treat.
Orange Delight Cookies
¾ cup shortening or ½ cup lard
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup sour milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flour
¾ cup of English walnut meats finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Cream the shortening and brown sugar. Beat the eggs, vanilla, orange peel, baking soda and sour milk creamed shortening. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and the nutmeats, stir into the mixture. Make a drop cookie and bake in a 350 degree oven till done. (10 to 12 minutes) While hot spread with the topping mixture.
Topping
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange peel
1/3 cup of orange juice
1 cup white sugar
This will make a grainy topping.
I have never seen another recipe quite like this one, if your family has a similar one or you try it and enjoy it let me know.
I wish I would have asked more questions, Dad who passed away in 2006 knew it had come from her Grandma, likely dating the cookies origins to around the Civil War. I was not interested enough to ask Grandma much about it before the dementia took over, she passed away in 1991.
The recipe has been updated some because it calls for shortening, which came on the market in 1911 but was not popular until the shortages of WWI. My guess is the original used ½ cup of lard.
The fact it uses sour milk and baking soda as well as baking powder makes me guess the original cookie it was developed from did not use baking powder, but that was added along the way to give the cookie more loft, it being more what is often called a cake cookie, without the baking powder it would be more of what we think of as a cookie, leavened but not cake like. If it had not been developed from a plainer cookie with baking powder added for loft, 2 ½ to 3 teaspoons of baking powder and sweet milk would give the same results or the use of self-rising flour.
The orange to make it as well as the English Walnuts used to make it would have been available in Western Iowa in the winter time but would have been a bit pricey, both causing this cookie to be a Christmas treat.
Orange Delight Cookies
¾ cup shortening or ½ cup lard
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup sour milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flour
¾ cup of English walnut meats finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Cream the shortening and brown sugar. Beat the eggs, vanilla, orange peel, baking soda and sour milk creamed shortening. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and the nutmeats, stir into the mixture. Make a drop cookie and bake in a 350 degree oven till done. (10 to 12 minutes) While hot spread with the topping mixture.
Topping
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange peel
1/3 cup of orange juice
1 cup white sugar
This will make a grainy topping.
I have never seen another recipe quite like this one, if your family has a similar one or you try it and enjoy it let me know.
