Raisin Cookies

Louisa Macculloch (1785-1863) had several recipes in her cookbook that included raisins as an ingredient. The recipes include crackers, a composition cake, mince pies, plum pudding and this recipe for raisin cookies. According to the garden journal kept by George Macculloch, several grape varieties were growing on the 26-acre farm including Isabella grapes, Monnier grapes, and Meunier grapes as of 1830.  The raisins needed for these family recipes most likely came from the grapes grown on their farm in Morristown, New Jersey. Enjoy these delicious taste from the past!

Original Raisin Cookie Recipe

1 ½ cups sugar

2-3 of a cup of butter

½ cup of chopped raisins

1 teaspoon of soda

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon & nutmeg. Make stiff with flour. Then roll out & cut like cookies.

Adapted Raisin Cookie Recipe

1 ½ cups of sugar

2/3 cup of butter (11 tablespoons), softened

½ cup of chopped raisins (Thompson Seedless)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of ground cloves

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

2 ¼ cups of flour

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream softened butter with sugar to combine. Add egg, milk, and raisins. Add spices: cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg mix well. Add flour half cup at a time and mix.  Refrigerate dough for an hour. Lightly flour board and rolling pin. Roll out dough to one inch thick. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter or glass to cut cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Makes 2 ½ to 3 dozen cookies.