I had never heard of Calumet Sugar Cookies before my dad emailed me the recipe that was my great-grandmother’s. I’ve heard of Calumet baking powder, and assume that every brand has their own recipes that use their products. Yet, this sugar cookie recipe is like none I have ever seen. Why? Because it contains spices. Both nutmeg and cloves. So, according to today’s standards it would not fit the criteria of a sugar cookie.
The Original
At first I thought maybe she had written it down wrong or maybe added her own twist, and she may have. So, I scoured the internet looking for a recipe like it. There was one very close to her recipe (and it was dated 1932), but the ingredient amounts were different and it only included nutmeg, not both nutmeg and cloves.
So, what better time to experiment with these Calumet Sugar Cookies than right after Thanksgiving (yes, I know I’m just now posting 2 weeks before Christmas)?! Since I was ready to get into the Christmas spirit and the girls had been begging to help bake, I decided to give it a go. (I’ve tried to become more relaxed, as I’ve gotten older, with letting the girls help bake. And I have, I promise I have! Because if you know me, & know how uptight I get in the kitchen, you know there is no way I would have let the girls help in years past.)
But this was evening that began with letting the girls pick their cookie cutters. I have a stash (a HUGE stash) and the only stipulation was they had to be Christmas or winter themed cutters. Adeline picked an ice skate, stocking and snowflake. Ansleigh decided she wanted an angel and a gingerbread man. Me, ha ha, I took the easy way out. I rolled the dough into balls, then into sugar & flattened them before baking 
So, fast forward to the dough being mixed and rolled out. I did do the mixing once it got labor intensive;) and I rolled out the dough. They don’t yet have the skills to roll the dough into, at least a somewhat, even thickness. Can’t be having burnt and raw cookies on the same pan, now can we?
They whipped out their cutters like Annie Oakley whipped out her rifle! Pushing and shoving, one arm over the other’s trying to be the first to cut the dough. Mama put a halt to that argument & cut the first cookie. So, that problem was solved!
But the cutting and sprinkles were up to them. And all you mom’s out there definitely know how MESSY sprinkles can be in the hands of a 4 yr old!!!
After there were as many sprinkles on the counter and floor as there were on the cookies, it was time to pop them into the oven. Too bad the girls aren’t old enough to clean the kitchen. If I let them there would STILL be dough on my bowls, counters, floor, etc.
No step-by-step pictures of the recipe in today’s post, and the picture quality is horrendous!! (I don’t have to be told ). But I decided this recipe was for spending time with my girls doing what I love, not worrying about getting the perfect picture for all the steps involved–which believe it or not is VERY strenuous!
I enjoyed making their great-great- grandmother’s Calumet sugar cookie recipe with them, and hope it becomes a tradition they will pass along to their children one day! If you don’t have traditions with your children, I hope this encourages you to start at least one ANd of course, I hope you enjoy this OLD recipe
Ingredients
- 4 - 4 1/4 C All Purpose Flour (this is an amount that I suggest. I kept adding until the dough was stiff enough for me, which ended up being 4 1/2 C, but the cookies were a little dry for my liking)
- 2 C Sugar
- 1 C Crisco
- 3 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
- 3 T Milk
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Cream sugar and shortening.
- Add eggs and mix.
- Add baking powder, spices, 1 c flour and milk. Add the remaining flour.
- Work more flour in, if needed, until a stiff dough is formed.
- Roll dough about 1/4" thick, cut into shapes and sprinkle with sugar. (Or roll into walnut sized balls, then roll into sanding sugar, place onto cookie sheets and flatten with the bottom of a glass.)
- Place on ungreased cookie sheets or parchment lined sheets
- Bake in oven for 11-13 min, or until starting to brown on the edges.
I recently found a old cookbook from the 1920′s. Handwritten in the flyleaf was a similar recipe. I tried it. it is NOT a usual sugar cookie (which I do not like).
This one I do:
the ingredients for the one I found is: 3 C sugar, 1 C Butter, 3 Eggs, 3 Tblsp water, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp clovers, 3 C flour.
You weren’t just making cookies which was so neat. Using a family recipe is so much fun. But you were making memories. Beautiful memories in those darling little hearts. Wonderful!
I hope you will write more soon. You have lovely way of writing.