Grandma Sadie’s “S” Cookies

I was about seven years old when my grandparents (on my mother’s side) moved from Brooklyn, NY to Phoenix, AZ to escape the cold weather that pained my grandma’s body. For as long as I can remember, she suffered terribly with rheumatoid arthritis. She never complained, even though her hands were almost curled shut and her joints ached all the time. Every once and a while she would wince in pain and my heart would break for her.

Through the pain, she still managed to make us delicious treats because it made her happy to see us enjoy them. She had two dessert recipes that are standouts – cream puffs and “S”cookies. Her cream puffs are deserving of their own post and they will get one in the very near future if I can let go of the recipe. They jury is still out on that one. The cookies however, are simple and biscuit-like. They pair wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee, preferably from a old-school stove-top percolator. Of course, they were shaped into an “S” for her nickname Sadie. These cookies are light, not too sweet and easy to make.

One day I had a hankering for the cookies. I wanted my boys to taste them. They never had the opportunity to meet since we lost my grandma in the beginning of the year they were born. I searched my mom’s place high and low and finally found her recipe card. Below is the recipe as written by her, with notes adding my tweaks. I always get a chuckle when I read it because I can hear it in her sweet voice.

If you give them a try, let me know what you think in the comments.

Ingredients

• 2/3 stick of margarine (I use equal an equal amount of good European butter)
• A little less than half a cup of sugar (I use 1/2 cup)
• 2 eggs
• A little more than a teaspoon vanilla extract ( I use a tsp.)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2-2 1/2 cups of flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream margarine (or butter) and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla and milk and mix together until well-blended. Start by adding two cups of flour. Add remaining flour as needed until the dough is smooth and not sticky. Pull off a two inch pieces of dough and roll them into an “S” shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

A Mother’s Day present for my Mom