Recipe#7390
Title: Billy Goats
Message-ID: <346A06D0.2D99@sprynet.com>Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 14:43:12 -0500
From: Johnson jmjohnsn@sprynet.com
Subject: Billy Goats
Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
Billy Goats
(about 50 cookies)
Many West Coast regional cookbooks have recipes for these thick, soft
date-and-nut cookies. In other parts of the country they used to be
called 'rocks' a reference to their shape, not their texture!.
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups finely chopped dates
Preheat the oven to 375'F and grease some cookie sheets. Cream the
shortening and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until
smooth and blended, then beat in the sour cream. Combine the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, then
stir and toss them together. Add to the first mixture and beat until
completely mixed. Add the nuts and dates and mix well. Drop heaping
teaspoonfuls of the dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie
sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies are delicately
browned around the edges. Transfer to racks to cool completely.