Aunt Ruths Molasses Cookies Recipes

AUNT SALLY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup white sugar and shortening until smooth. Stir in the egg yolks and molasses. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger; stir into the molasses mixture alternately with the sour milk. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into rectangular shapes (I like to use a Spam can). Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.
• To make the frosting, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, vinegar, water and marshmallows. Mix well and place over a pot of simmering water. when the marshmallows have melted, stir in the egg whites. Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer for 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar until well blended. Frost cooled cookies.

AUNT CLARA'S FILLED MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Toss raisins and 1 teaspoon flour together in a saucepan until raisins are coated in flour. Stir 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon juice into raisins. Pour 1 cup boiling water over raisin mixture; bring mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until raisins start to break down and mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Stir 2 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
• Whisk melted shortening and molasses together in another bowl; stir in remaining vanilla extract. Dissolve baking soda in 1/3 cup boiling water. Stir soda water into molasses mixture until mixture foams and is well-combined. Stir flour mixture and molasses mixture together in a large bowl until a stiff dough forms.
• Divide dough into 2 balls; 1 dough ball for the bottom cookie rounds and 1 ball for the top cookie rounds. Cover 1 dough ball with a damp paper towel; roll remaining dough ball out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into rounds using the top of a glass or a round cookie cutter. Place these bottom rounds 2-inches apart on a baking sheet. Top each dough round with 1 tablespoon of raisin filling mixture.
• Roll out remaining dough ball to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into rounds using the same cutter. Moisten fingers slightly with water and carefully work each top round from the center outwards until each is about 1/4-inch larger around than the bottom round. Working from one edge, place top round over bottom round and filling, pressing firmly to seal the cookie. Lightly press down tops of cookies to settle filling in the pocket.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookie is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

AUNT RUTH'S MOLASSES COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream the sugar and shortening together.
• Add two beaten eggs. Blend well.
• Add the ginger, cinnamon and salt. Blend.
• Add the molasses. Blend well.
• Dissolve the 2 teaspoons of baking soda in 1/2 cup of hot water.
• When it is just warm add it to the other preparation. Smooth it all.
• Add the flour incrementally until the mixture is right for making drop cookies.
• Drop from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. One teaspoon of cookie mix makes a 3" cookie.
• Bake 8 - 9 minutes at 350°F.
• Leave cookies on the pan a little bit before removing.
• Rest the dough in the refrigerator between batches.

AUNT RUTH'S RHUBARB TORTE

Steps:

• Combine sugar& cornstarch.
• Stir in rhubarb& water.
• Cook& stir over medium heat until thickened.
• Reduce heat, cook 2-3 minutes longer.
• Add food coloring.
• Spread on graham wafer crust and let cool.
• Fold marshmallows into whipped cream and spoon over rhubarb mixture.
• Prepare pudding according to package instructions and spread over all.
• Sprinkle with graham wafer crumbs.
• Chill (Best chilled overnight).

AUNT RUTH'S PECAN SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add vanilla and nuts.
• Add flour, 1 cup at a time.
• Shape into little thin rolls - cut in to little "fingers".
• Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes until bottoms start to barely brown.
• Let set on baking sheet for five minutes.
• When cool, roll in powdered sugar.