1940s Recipes + Menus

Cinnamon Sugar Crisps

October 1944
Cinnamon Sugar Crisps
T

“These will probably not survive the day,” said the text that accompanied the original recipe for these super-thin, crisp spice cookies, “but make a double batch and cache the second away for future reference.” Indeed, their complexity impressed our test kitchen. We found that they stuck to the ungreased cookie sheets that the recipe calls for, but lining the sheets with parchment will help the cookies release easily.

This is just one of Gourmet’s Favorite Cookies: 1941-2008. Although we’ve retested the recipes, in the interest of authenticity we’ve left them unchanged: The instructions below are still exactly as they were originally printed. Learn how to roll out thin cookie dough—with no mess and no extra flour.

For about 48 cookies.

Cream 1/2 cup butter or margarine with 3/4 cup granulated sugar until the mixture is light and lemon colored; and continuing the creaming, add first 1 large, well-beaten egg, then 2/3 cup dark molasses flavored with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Sift together 2 1/2 cups pastry flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 generous teaspoons powdered cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon soda, and a generous 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the flour mixture gradually to the creamed butter and molasses, mixing well after each addition. When the dough is well blended, pat it out first on a floured board, then roll it to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut it with a small floured cookie cutter, and arrange the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake them in a moderate oven (350°F.) for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisp. Before the baking, the tops of the cookies may be moistened with milk, water, or fruit juice and then sprinkled with mixed sugar and cinnamon. When the cookies are cold, store them in a tightly closed jar, and keep in a cool, dry place.

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