Native American Feast Day Cookies

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Native American Feast Day Cookies

 

The Pueblo Indians make these for kiva parties, Kachina or Corn Dances,

weddings, the pueblo's Saint's Day, and field parties for planting or harvesting

crops.

 

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg

2 cups unbleached flour, sifted

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon aniseed

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup pine nuts (pignoli), chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream 2/3 cup sugar and veg. shortening. Add egg and blend

thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and aniseed, blending

thoroughly. Gradually add milk until a stiff dough is formed. Mix in the pine

nuts.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch

cookies with a cookie cutter. Sprinkle tops with mixture of the remaining sugar

and cinnamon. Bake cookies on a well-greased baking sheet for about 15 minutes,

or until golden. Cool on a rack.

Yields 2 dozen 2-inch cookies.