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Twelfth Night cookies. |
Our “Salutations of the Season!” celebration is getting
closer and closer! Do you want try your hand at 17th and 18th
century recipes? The first one, Schuyler Spice Cookies, is
inspired by a recipe said to be made in the Schuyler household. Spices were popular—especially around Twelfth Night—and these cookies are rather Dutch in
style. Even if the Schuylers didn’t use this exact recipe, it is likely
a similar cookie was common in the Schuyler household during the Christmas
season.The other two recipes are adapted from a local Dutchwoman’s 18th century cookbook. The author, Maria
van Rensselaer (1749- 1830), lived at Cherry Hill,
just down the road from Schuyler Mansion. Her recipes range from the 18th
to 19th centuries in date.
The first of her recipes we’re sharing are Seed Cake Cookies. These cake-like cookies are easy to make—great for a beginner! Sometimes,
they’re still made in Crailo’s 17th century hearth today.
The last recipe, the van Rensselaer Tea Cookies, is
likely the oldest Dutch American cookie recipe in existence.
Now let’s get baking!
Schuyler House
Spice Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cloves
¾ cup butter
1 Tablespoon coriander
1 egg
1 Tablespoon ginger
¼ cup molasses
Small dash black pepper (Dutch culinary
habit)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.
3. Add egg and molasses.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,
cloves, coriander, ginger and pepper; gradually add to mixture.
5. Mix together and roll into small balls. Roll in sugar,
then flatten and place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Seed Cakes
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 stick butter
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
3. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
4. Add flour and seeds a little at a time, stirring well.
5. Roll the dough into small balls about the size of a
grape.
6. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.
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Seed Cakes |
van Rensselaer Tea
Cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks (1/2 pound butter)
6 oz. cold water
1 ½ cups sugar
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter with an electric mixer.
3. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue creaming.
4. Add the water, alternately with the flour.
5. Take the dough out with a spatula, wrap, and refrigerate
for an hour.
6. Roll into ½-inch balls and bake 16-18 minutes, until
lightly browned on the bottom.