New Year Cookies

  Posted on December 31, 2010  by Leslie Blythe  No comments

Happy New Year!

During the early part of the 18th century North Americans began to use the word ‘cookie’ to define a small, sweet, flat or slightly raised confection. The word ‘cookie’ appears to come from the Dutch word “koekje or koekie” and refers to a small cake. Alan Davidson in The Oxford Companion to Food states that “cookies were originally associated with New Year’s Day….references from the early part of the 19th century show that cookies and cherry bounce (a cherry cordial) were the correct fare with which to greet visitors on that occasion.”

New Year Cookies

Makes about 8 dozen

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbs caraway seeds

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. Beat eggs until very light, beat in sugar, a little at a time, and then the cream. Stir in flour combination and caraway seeds.

Refrigerate for several hours until dough is firm enough to handle. Roll about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured board and cut with a small cooky cutter. Sprinkle tops with sugar and bake on greased cooky sheets in preheated 350 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes.”
—American Heritage Cookbook, Helen McCully recipes editor [American Heritage Publishing:New York] 1964 (p. 608)