These cookies were family favorites, made for the Christmas holidays.
1 cup lard
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
½ cup molasses
1 cup coffee, cooled
1½ tsp. anise
3 eggs, beaten
3 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. black pepper
Flour to make a soft dough, about 7 cups
Cream lard and sugar together. Mix in honey, molasses, coffee and anise. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to wet mixture. Add additional flour, as needed, to create a soft cookie dough. Chill overnight. Shape into small balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.
NOTES: We checked the cookies at the 8-minute mark and found that 11 minutes was the appropriate baking time for our batch. We halved this recipe and still had PLENTY of dough. We’ve been told by reliable, local German-Russian sources that these cookies and dough freeze well, for up to a year.
RECIPE by Joyce Giedt and Jane (Giedt) Kirby, from their mother, Mrs. William C. (LaVerne) Geidt, McIntosh County, as published in “Gutes Essen: Good Eating in German-Russian Country”
