Cookies from Zimbabwe

LAURIE's Note:

Posted for the Zaar World Tour to Africa. I have yet to make these but I there is sweet potato bread, pie, biscuits and cake...why not cookies?

• Total Time: 17 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 60 cookies

• 10 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 cup finely grated raw sweet potato
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze

• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 -2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar in bowl. Blend in lemon zest, nutmeg, honey and egg. Fold in sweet potato.
2. In separate bowl. sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add it to the first mixture and blend well.
4. Arrange cookie dough by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
6. To make glaze, use a wooden spoon to combine all ingredients in glass container until smooth.
7. Add more water by the drop until glaze is easy to spread on cooled cookies.

Reviews

[revbet]

I made these to serve for communion at church on World Communion Sunday along with bread from other countries and they were a hit. The teens in the Confirmation class badgered me to make them that night at their class and they gulped them down with gallons of milk. Now I'm sharing the recipe with most of the church. As others have noted, be careful not to overbake.

[Chessiegal]

I made these for the DPW shops at work this past Christmas. They were G*O*N*E in no time. When they asked me what was in them and I said, "Oh, sweet potato..." they thought I was kidding. I did use just a bit more lemon in the glaze, and you just need a bit of the glazing on the cookie. Don't over-bake them...8 to 10 minutes is sufficient, or they will burn. These cookies are a definite addition to the recipe folder.

[Chef #1453822]

I made these cookies for a reunion of people from Zimbabwe - Umtali H.S. recently - and every last cookie was eaten! Very easy recipe- loved the hint of nutmeg and fresh lemon in the cookie and glaze. Will experiment next time with some nuts.