Grandma Bill's Raisin Filled Cookies
-----For the filling:
2 cups Raisins
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
2 Tbsp Corn Starch mixed with 2-3 Tbsp cold water to form a liquid slurry
-----For the dough:
3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2 tsp Baking Powder
3 cups Flour (if it is too sticky you may need 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more)
To make the dough, in a medium mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until smooth. It will still be a bit grainy.
Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Scrape the bowl, and add the vanilla and sour cream, mix to smooth. Scrape. Stir in the baking powder and flour. If it is still extremely sticky add about 1/2 cup more flour. It will be a soft dough.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap, shape in a rectangle and press to 1/2 inch thick. This will make the rolling more speedy. Refrigerate overnight.
I like to pop the dough into the freezer the day I'm making the filling to chill it even more. It will help in the rolling. To make the filling, place the raisins, water, and sugar in a sucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Add the nuts and continue cooking for several minutes until it begins to look a little syrupy
Mix the starch and water (You can use 2-3 Tbsp of flour in place of the starch) into a small dish.
Slowly add to the boiling mixture, and stir constantly. Like making a gravy. You may not need all of the starch/water mixture so add a little at a time. It will become thick. Keep stirring and boiling for a minute or so to cook out the starch. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
You can make the filling and the dough the night before, and let it sit at room temp. Then just put the cookies together the next day.
On a lightly floured surface roll the dough rectangles out to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out the desired size circle. (I use a 2 1/2-inch round) I like to put the bottom circle on parchment covered sheet pans (or sprayed pans) and then place a hardy amount of filling in the center and then pop the pan in the refrigerator while rolling the tops.
You can roll the tops a hair thinner than the bottoms, so the bottoms bake the whole way through. And if you are using a nesting circle cutter, then use the next size up. Or just use the same size a little bit bigger (this way it covers the filling a bit better).
After the tops are rolled, brush a little milk around the edges of the bottom with the filling and then place the top on.
Press the edges down with your finger. Bake at 325°, until the tops are evenly light golden brown. Keep an eye on them though. They will take 10-15 minutes. If you use parchment, cool on the pans, but if you just sprayed the pans, then move the cookies off and cool on racks.
These cookies freeze well. I like to form them and instead of baking, just pop into the freezer, when they are firm, layer them in a plastic container. I like to use them up inside 3 months. Also, the finished cookies (baked) can also be frozen.
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A Note from Chefmom…
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This recipe came from my Grandmother's Grandmother. I have naturally made a change, to make the dough easier to work with. It used to call for milk, and the dough was very sticky, but I changed that to sour cream. It makes for a very soft, tender cookie with the gooey, sweet raisin filling. I also have used baking powder in place of the baking soda/cream of tartar blend. In Western Pennsylvania, this is a classic recipe!!
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