Amelia Simmons's Christmas Cookey | ||||||||||||||||||
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From Early American Life, December 2003
Amelia Simmons's Christmas Cookey
by Claire Hopley
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The first
Christmas cookie recipe ever printed in America, called simply “A
Christmas Cookey,” appeared in American Cookery, written
and published by Amelia Simmons in 1796. She called for huge
amounts of ingredients. This recipe calls for smaller quantities
but in all other ways is identical to her original. Coriander
makes this simple cookie quite delectable. |
INGREDIENTS
11⁄2 cups flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons coriander
About 1⁄2 cup milk
Sparkling sugar or pearl sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 cookie sheets by greasing them and dusting with flour or by lining them with baking parchment.
Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar. Rub in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in coriander, then rub the mixture through your fingers a few more times to blend it in. Make a well in the center and pour in a little less than half a cup of milk. Pull the dough together as if making pastry. Add remaining milk if necessary to achieve a soft, rollable dough.
Flour a pastry board or other surface and a rolling pin. Roll out dough until it is 1⁄2" thick. Using cookie cutters or a sharp knife, cut the dough into whatever shapes you please. Sprinkle with sparkling or pearl sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen.