Jumbles

This month to celebrate National Country Cooking Month, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum has shared several desserts from the recipes of Louisa Macculloch (1785-1863). From charlottes to whigs, we now move on to a jumble recipe. Jumbles, also spelled jumbal or jumballs, were a type of sugar cookie or biscuit popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Louisa Macculloch had several recipes for jumbles in her cookbook. Some recipes called rose water and almonds while another for coconut. Martha Washington had several jumble recipes in a cookbook she used. Jumbles could be baked or boiled.

Early jumbles were shaped in a loop or braided into a knot pattern and could be stored for a long period of time.  Some believe that jumbles led to the development of pretzels, bagels or even donuts. Louisa Macculloch ends one of her jumble recipes with the words, “this makes a quantity, enough for company”. We hope you and your company enjoy this treat!

Jumbles
½ pound butter
½ pound sugar
¾ pound flour
4 eggs
½ nutmeg
Brandy to taste
Roll out in sugar

Adapted recipe (halved) for Jumbles
½ cup of butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
½ teaspoon of fresh nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix ingredients until combined. Form into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Resources: 

• Bake jumbles with caraway seed, aniseed and lemon zest from an recipe shared on an episode of The Great British Baking Show.