Enjoy a promised new family Holiday Tradition!
The neat part is kids immediately get the name when they first see this cookie. What child hasn't seen photos or themselves looked through a telescope or binoculars! Not to mention they are an amazing treat! And Santa never leaves a crumb one on the plate in my Mom's home, my home or my brothers' homes. That's how good they are! Mom usually made at least three batches a year all through college.
Telescope Cookies
3 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (must use the real deal here)
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Water
Directions:
1) Sift first six ingredients together.
2) Combine Butter, Molasses and water in large saucepan. Stir over low heat until blended stirring constantly.
3) Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients mixing until dough forms. May need to use hands at some point in this process.
4) Wrap dough in wax paper and chill minimum two hours in refrigerator. (memory note from my Mom, over night better result)
Making the Cookies:
Icing: Use recipe on Confectioners Sugar Box
Cookie Cutters:
One needs a four inch round circle cookie cutter or Lowball Cocktail glass that measures close to 4"
One needs an assortment of Christmas Cookie Cutters that will fit within 4" circle once shape cut out.
Baking:
Roll dough to 1/8 inch. Cut 36 round cookies baked on un-greased cookie sheet, baked for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees
Roll dough to 1/8 inch. Cut 36 shaped cookies baked on un-greased cookie sheet for baked for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees
Note: Baking sheets and times are for metal cookie sheets. I or Mom have always used metal sheets for Telescope Cookies.
Mom would watch the oven like a hawk or have me watch the oven!
If they start to burn.....they go fast.
Allow cookies to cool to room temperature. Ice cookies in a circle leaving a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of round cookie with no icing on edge of the cookie. Immediately place a shaped cookie centered on top of the icing. Note: Kind of fun to see the peaks in the icing on the cookie....Mom never made the circles perfectly smooth! Allows for a more snowy look to icing!
Allow icing to set then package in tins or cookie jar.
