2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1-1/3 cups butterscotch morsels
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 2 baking sheets.

Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in vanilla and rum extract.

Stir flour mixture into butter mixture.

Fold in nuts, butterscotch morsels, and chocolate morsels.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly.

Bake cookies until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.

Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

I found this recipe when we were going through my 93-year-old mother-in-law’s things after her death in June. I listed a total of three old German recipes.

Springerle is a type of cookie from Baden-Württemberg, Germany with an embossed design made by pressing a mold onto rolled dough and allowing the impression to dry before cooking. The cookies are traditionally white and anise-flavored.

Molds are traditionally carved from wood. The name springerle means “little knights,” and their origin can be traced back to the 14th century.

2 eggs
2-1/4 cups sifted flour
l cup sugar
Anise seed

Beat eggs and sugar together until thick and ivory colored.

Stir in flour until well blended and very stiff.

Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

Roll out on lightly floured board to l/8″ thickness.

Press well-floured springerle rolling pin or board down firmly on dough to emboss designs.

Cut out the little squares; let dry an lightly floured board sprinkled with anise seed for at least 10 hours at room temperature.

Bake at 325 degrees on lightly greased baking sheets for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

I found this recipe when we were going through my 93-year-old mother-in-law’s things after her death in June. I listed a total of three old German recipes.

1/2 cup lard
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup milk

Cream lard; beat in sugar gradually.

Blend in corn syrup and vanilla.

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk.

Roll in strips the size of a pencil. Cut in 1/2″ strips.

Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees about 15 minutes.

Serve in bowls like nuts.

Makes 4-1/2 quarts.

I found this recipe when we were going through my 93-year-old mother-in-law’s things after her death in June. I listed a total of three old German recipes.

Lebkuchen is a traditional German product baked for Christmas, somewhat resembling soft gingerbread. Similar cookies have a history that extends back to the Egyptians, but the style of the traditional Lebkuchen probably was invented by Medieval monks in Franconia, Germany in the 13th century. Lebkuchen bakers were recorded as early as 1296 in Ulm and 1395 in Nürnberg. The latter being the most famous exporter today of the product that is known as Nürnberger Lebkuchen (Nürnberg Lebkuchen).

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2-3/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup cut-up citron
1/3 cup chopped nuts

Mix honey and molasses; bring to a boil.

Stir in sugar, egg, lemon juice, and rind.

Stir dry ingredients together; blend in.

Mix in citron and nuts.

Chill dough overnight.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll small amount of dough at a time, keeping rest chilled.

Roll out 1/4″ thick on lightly floured board.

Cut in oblongs 2-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches.

Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no imprint remains when touched lightly.

While warm, top with glaze: Combine 1 slightly eaten egg white, 1 tablespoon water, dash of salt, and 1-1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar.

Makes 4 dozen.

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup strawberry, apricot, or cherry jam
1/4 cup of sifted powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese in a bowl, add flour, and mix well.

Roll dough to a 1/8″ thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Cut with a 2″ round cutter.

Place 2″ apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Spoon 1/4 teaspoon jam on each cookie; fold opposite sides together slightly overlapping edges.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Remove to wire racks and cool.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes about two dozen cookies.

Tastes like an Almond Joy candy bar!

4 egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toasted and chopped almonds

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Add sugar and vanilla gradually.

Add coconut and flour; mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Approximately 4 dozen cookies

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks)
2 cups flour
2 cups chopped pecans
5 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar; add vanilla and water.

Sift flour and salt. Stir into mixture.

Add pecans and mix well.

Shape into size of walnut and shape into crescent.

Bake slowly at 325 degrees about 20 minutes.

While warm, roll in powdered sugar.

You can find a wide variety of cookie sheets at Amazon.com. Here are just two of the possibilities:

2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup of soft butter
1/2 cup of shortening
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

Cream butter and shortening in mixing bowl.

Gradually add sugar; beat until fluffy.

Add pumpkin and egg; beat well.

Add dry ingredients and blend. Stir in vanilla.

Drop onto slightly greased and floured cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes until brown.

You can find a wide variety of cookie sheets at Amazon.com. Here are just two of the possibilities: