The “Williamsburg Grange and Community Cookbook,” 1952, was a well-used tool in Mrs. R. M. Myers’ kitchen. She clearly had her favorite recipes—and she made notes all through the cookbook. Mrs. Myers liked to bake—Butterscotch Cookies—as the tell- tale drips on page 16 shows. She used Dorothy Tiley’s recipe—which she noted as “Delicious”.
“Butterscotch Cookies” from Dorothy Tiley
1/2 cup butter; 2 cups brown sugar; 2 eggs; 1 tsp. vanilla; 2 cups flour; 1/4 tsp. salt; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1 cup dry shredded coconut. Cook butter and sugar over low heat until bubbly. Cool (just barely—added in her hand). Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla, then sift dry ingredients and coconut. Mix thoroughly. One cup nut meats may also be added. Spread in shallow 10.5 x 15-inch pan and bake in moderate oven 350 degrees F about 25 minutes. While warm cut in squares. Makes 3 doz.
Mrs. Myers added a note: “Don’t overbake. Make them thicker and smaller than I did in oven broiler pan once. Pan too big.”
There are 5 kinds of brownies offered: 2 regular chocolate recipes as well as blonde brownies, butterscotch brownies, and patchwork brownies. And of course, several chocolate chip cookies recipes including these ones:
“Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Bits” from Marilyn Black
1/2 cup shortening; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups oatmeal; 1 beaten egg; 1 tbs. water; 1/2 tsp. vanilla; 3/4 cup sifted flour; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. soda; 1/2 package chocolate bits. Mix and drop on greased cookie sheet. Bake in hot oven 425 degrees F.
“Molasses Drop Cookies” from Connie West
1/2 cup shortening; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 cup molasses; 1 egg; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 cup sour milk; 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/2 tsp. ginger; 1/4 tsp. cloves; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/2 cup chopped seedless raisins. Cream together shortening and sugar; add molasses. Beat egg; add dissolved soda in milk. Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt; add alternatingly with mixture to creamed mixture. Add raisins; mix well. Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet; bake in moderate over 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.
The Grange and community ladies shared all these recipes in the 1952 edition of the “Williamsburg Grange and Community Cookbook”. For more recipes view the digital copy of the whole cookbook in the Meekins Library Local History Collection. Do you have a go-to cookie recipe? Add your favorite one here and don’t forget to share the tasty treats with your friends and neighbors and local librarians. Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist and photographer. #throwbackthursday; #tbt.
Posted to Facebook 6/6/2024
