St. Nicholas "Bread" Cookies

This recipe from The Homesteader's Cookbook is probably from a German or Dutch Minnesota pioneer. I always use the 5 cups of flour. The dough is an easy one to use to mold cookies. Next time I make it I'm going to try half-butter, half-shortening to see if that improves the flavor. Also, step up the flavorings: 1 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and lessen the ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to 1/2 teaspoon. If using butter, be sure not to chill the dough too long or it will get hard and difficult to handle..

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1/4 lb) shortening
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoon (3/4 lb) brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 - 5 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cloves

Directions

1. Cream shortening and sugar.
2. Beat in egg and flavoring.
3. Blend in milk.
4. Mix 4 cups of flour with soda, salt and spices, reserving 1 cup, if needed.
5. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; blend; add additional flour if needed (ed. note, I always have).
6. Chill 1/2  to 1 hour.
7. Lightly oil and flour St. Nicholas molds, pat in filling to fit, see Tips for making molded cookies with cookie boards
8. or roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut into desired shapes and place on baking sheets.
9. Bake in 350 degree oven 10 - 15 minutes.
10. or bake cut-out cookies 5-7 minutes.

Adapted from The Homesteader's Cook Book, a collection of recipes and memorabilia from the Minnesota River Valley Area, by Historic Murphy's Landing, Ginger Timmons, editor, Shakopee, Minnesota, 1971.