Amish Oatmeal Cookies

Old fashioned man size cookies—3 1/2 inches in diameter.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 4 1/2 doz

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups raisins
• 1  cup salted peanuts
• 6  cups  sifted all-purpose flour
• 3  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1⁄2 cups  lard or 1 1⁄2 cups shortening
• 3  cups sugar
• 2  cups quick-cooking oats
• 3  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup molasses
• 4  eggs (divided)
•  flour

Directions

1. To grease cookie sheets: Grease cookie sheets lightly. Too much shortening on the baking sheet will cause cookies to spread and edges will be too thin and too brown. Do not use butter or margarine to grease sheets.
2. Grind raisins and peanuts in food grinder, using medium blade; set aside.
3. Sift together 6 cups flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into very large bowl or dishpan. Cut in lard until mixture forms fine crumbs, using pastry blender. Add ground raisin mixture, sugar and oats. Mix well., using hands if necessary.
4. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk in small bowl. Add molasses and 3 of the eggs to buttermilk mixture. Beat with rotary beater until blended.
5. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; mix well with spoon. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls or a small ice cream scoop, about 3 inches apart, on greased baking sheets. Flatten each with bottom of drinking glass dipped in flour to 2 ½ inch round.
6. Beat remaining egg in small bowl until blended. Brush tops of each round with egg.
7. Bake in 375°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets; cool on racks. Makes 4 ½ dozen.
8. Farm Journal’s Complete Home Baking Book.