Three 18th Century Recipes for Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night cookies.

Our “Salutations of the Season!” celebration is getting closer and  closer! Do you want try your hand at 17^th and 18^th 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  18^th 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 18^th to 19^th 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 17^th 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.

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.