A Special Sugar Cookie

Christmas 2013

It's time for some Christmas cookies, and this recipe is very special to me.  It comes with a story intertwined with my family's history:

Over the years my aunt Susie and I have shared our hobby of doing family genealogy.  To my surprise, thus far most of my ancestors arrived in North America in the 1600s and 1700s during the British colonial period.

The last bunch of immigrant ancestors to arrive, however, were a German branch of my family, the Hirschmanns.  My great-great-great-grandparents Hirschmann and their family left Upper Franconia (in English) or Oberfranken (in German) -now part of Bavaria- and made their way to Iowa around 1840. My great-grandmother Clara Hirschmann Williams used to tell my aunt Susie that her father -who was born in Germany and who worked as a baker in Iowa- would make these cookies and keep them in wooden barrels to sell to people passing through in covered wagons.

My aunt Susie remembers her grandmother Clara baking these same, simple sugar cookies for her and the other grandchildren generations later.  I share this sixth generation cookie recipe from my family to yours.

Hirschmann Family Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1- 1.5 teaspoons of freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
6-7 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together by hand, hand mixer, or mixer (I use my Kitchenaid mixer).  Add enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll out and cut.

Flour a rolling pin and your rolling surface (table, counter, cutting board, etc.).  The flour is key to keeping this and most doughs from sticking.

Roll out to your desired thickness.  Decorate with sprinkled sugar, etc.

Place on parchment paper or a Silpat...or a lightly greased...cooking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes.


DIETS:
Diabetic:  no
Gluten Free:  no
Nightshade Family Free:  yes
Paleo:  no
SugarBusters:  no
Sugar Free:  no
Vegan:  no
Vegetarian:  yes
Wheat Free:  no
200 Calories or Under:  no

Notice:  Be sure to check with your doctor and nutritionist about the safety of any eating plan for you.  Also, check ingredients as different brands and products may have different ingredients or have changed them since this post.  Some calories are estimates based on packaging.