Pork Cracklin' Cookies
These vintage cookies use pork cracklin' instead of butter, and make a rich, tasty, almost savory cookie. A real treat from the 1930s! Originally published in "Stories and Recipes from the Great Depression of the 1930s" (1986).
Ingredients
- 2 cups cracklin', pressed to release most of the lard
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cups flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup nuts, your choice (almonds work well, walnuts are also quite nice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Process cracklin' in food processor, pulsing to make small pieces, or finely chop with a knife.
- Using paddle attachment of stand mixer, or wooden spoon in large bowl, mix together processed cracklin, and both sugars. Mixture will be a bit crumbly.
- Add eggs, vanilla and milk to bowl.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Add to bowl.
- Lastly, add nuts and raisins. Ensure cookies are properly mixed.
- Shape cookies into small balls, and flatten into patties that are about 2 1/2" across. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room for them to grow.
- Bake in oven for 7 minutes, rotate, and bake another five, until cookies are starting to feel firm to the touch. As the original recipe warns "don't overbake."
- Let cool slightly on a wire rack and enjoy! If you feel the need to zazz these up, dust with powdered sugar.
