4.5 from 51 votes
Poor Man's Cookies
Poor Man's Cookies are dense and flavorful bars made with a raisin mixture boiled with shortening, mixed into a spiced flour batter with chopped walnuts, then baked and topped with a simple powdered sugar glaze. The batter resembles a paste and produces deeply browned cookies with moist crumbs inside. This recipe focuses on economical ingredients to create a satisfying treat.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
24
bars
Calories:
210 kcal
Course:
Snacks
Cuisine:
American
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.
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24 bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 210
% 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.