Poor Man's Cookies
User Reviews
4.5
Poor Man's Cookies
Description
The Poor Man's Cookies recipe begins by boiling water, raisins, and vegetable shortening together for 20 minutes to soften the raisins and blend flavors. After cooling briefly, this raisin mixture is combined with dry ingredients including flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, creating a paste-like batter. Beaten eggs and chopped walnuts are folded in to add richness and texture.
The batter is spread into a prepared baking pan and baked at 375°F until deeply browned with moist crumbs visible on a toothpick test. While baking, a glaze is prepared by whisking powdered sugar and warm water. The completed glaze is applied over the baked cookies once cooled slightly, adding a sweet finish and shine.
These cookies deliver a spiced, raisin-studded texture with a soft interior and slightly sticky topping. The use of boiling softened raisins and warming spices gives this recipe a distinctive touch compared to typical drop cookies or bars. They offer a cost-effective, hearty treat with a moist crumb and gentle sweetness.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2¼ cups water
- 1½ cups raisins
- 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 2 egg slightly beaten
- ½ cup walnuts coarsely chopped
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons water warm
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.
- Combine water, raisins, and shortening in a medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the lid, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the raisin mixture is boiling, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl.
- Pour the slightly cooled raisin mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined and moistened (the batter at this point will have the consistency of a paste). Add the beaten eggs and again stir with a spoon, until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs attached.
- While the cookies are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and warm water in a small bowl. As soon as you take the pan out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over the cookies and quickly spread into an even layer.
- Cool to room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Vegetable shortening can be substituted with unsalted butter for a different flavor.
- The cookies are deeply browned and moist inside when finished baking; expect some moist crumbs on the toothpick test.
- The powdered sugar glaze adds sweetness and a finish, prepared while cookies bake.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 210 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 210kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 37g | 12% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 13mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 126mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 119mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 20IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 15mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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