Cavaluzzo's Owner Makes his Cut-out Cookies Pizza-thin

By the year 1500, the tradition of the Christmas cookie had spread throughout Europe, and Christmas cookies were made in great amounts in nearly every home. The Dutch immigrants brought the earliest Christmas cookies to America.

But what are the favorite cookies in Emmaus Patch?

Gary Cavaluzzo, owner of Cavaluzzo’s Pizza, says his favorite Christmas cookie is the cut-out. He sometimes rolls them very thin—thinner than anyone else does, he adds.

Then, the cookies are cut out with different shapes of cookie cutters and decorated.

Recipes:

Rolled Out Butter Cookies (Christmas)

By Norma Flexer from “Suppertime with Thomas and Alice Stahl’s Family”

1 ¾ c. flour                            ¾ c. 2 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. baking powder            1 egg

¼ tsp. salt                               1 tsp. vanilla

½ c. butter or margarine         nuts, colored sugar and jimmies (for decoration)

Sift together and set aside the flour, baking powder and salt. Blend together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Add the vanilla and flour mixture. Wrap in wax paper and chill for 20 minutes. Roll 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of heavy waxed paper or on lightly floured board. Cut with floured fancy cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets. These cookies are sufficiently rich to grease their own sheets. At the same time, the ungreased sheet will help keep the cookies in shape and prevent them from spreading. Decorate cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Yields 5 dozen cookies. These will freeze well.

Apiece Cookies (50+ year old recipe)

By Doris Hunger from “Recipes from the Schoolhouse Near the Old Spring”

4 c. sugar                    2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in vinegar

1 lb. butter (soft)         9-10 c. flour

6 eggs

Cream together the sugar and butter, then mix. Add eggs to creamed mixture.  Add the baking soda and flour.  Chill dough well. Roll on floured board and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.