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Mama's Date Roll Cookie Recipe

A Christmas tradition in the home where I grew up was date roll cookies. They are my brother and husband's favorites, so now that my mother is no longer with us, I feel compelled to try to keep up the tradition.

These are refrigerator cookies, which means you put the rolls in the icebox or freezer, take them out when you need more, slice, bake, and eat. Though I make a double recipe, we rarely have any left in the freezer for later.

The thinner the slices, the browner and chewier they get. This is the way I like them. My brother and husband like them thicker and softer. I try to vary the thickness so we'll all be happy.

Date Roll Cookies

1 lb. pitted dates

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. water

Cut the dates, comgine sugar and water, and cook over low heat til mushy. Add a pinch of salt.

3 eggs beaten 1 C. sugar

4 C. flour 1 C. brown sugar

1 t. soda 1 C. oleo

1 t. salt 1 T. vanilla

1 T. cold water

Cream oleo, sugars, and beaten eggs. Sift flour, salt, and soda THREE TIMES, then add to oleo mixture. Add vanilla and cold water. Knead. Divide dough into parts and roll out on floured surface. Spread with date paste, roll up, pinch ends. Roll up into waxed paper, twist ends. Refrigerate until firm. Best if refrigerated overnight. Slice think, place on cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree oven until brown.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Merry Christmas!

Linda

Texas Fruitcake

We've all received one of those terrible canned fruitcakes as a gift,
but here is one you'll be proud to bring out and share with friends or give as a gift. I'm not crazy about fruitcake, especially the dark ones with more fruit than cake, but I love the the ones made from this recipe. It came from a cookbook of Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers. I taught Home Economics for 30 years in Texas and we sold these cookbooks back in the 60s and 70s. I've used this recipe since 1970. The first time I made it my daughter was a baby and I've been hooked ever since.

1/2 lb. candied pineapple
1/2 lb. candied cherries
1/2 lb. raisins1/2 lb. chopped dates
4 to 5 oz. candied orange peel or sliced candied orange slices
2 lbs. shelled pecans
1/2 lb. shelled walnuts
5 C. flour
1 & 1/4 lb. oleo
2 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
6 eggs
3/4 t. soda
1/2 C. molasses
3/4 C. apricot preserves
3/4 t. cloves
3/4 t. allspice
3/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 t. cinnamon


Cut fruit; dredge fruit and nuts in 1/2 C. flour. Cream oleo & sugars; add eggs, and beat. Mix soda and molasses; stir into sugar mixture with preserves. Add flour and spices (sifted together); add nuts and fruit. Grease two tube pans; line with waxed paper. Grease paper. Turn batter into pans; put pan of water on bottom shelf of oven. Bake 4 hours at 250 degrees.

I use my turkey roaster to mix this all together as it's the largest thing I have. Nothing else seems big enough.

I hope you'll give it a try and your family enjoys it as much as mine does.

Merry Christmas to you and your!

Linda