Ribbon Cookies

These were always a favorite growing up—my Mom would make them at Christmas time. This recipe is credited to Harriet Hibbard.

Watch them carefully, because all of a sudden they turn dark brown and you want to catch them before that point. The colors are nicer when the tops aren't brown.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup candied cherries, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preparation

  1. Cream butter; add sugar gradually.
  2. Add well-beaten egg and vanilla.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix well.
  5. Divide dough into three parts. Color with food coloring: one part red, one part green, one part yellow. Add cherries to the green, pecans to the yellow, and leave the red plain.
  6. Line a 12" x 4" refrigerator tray with wax paper (the straight-sided kind is better than sloping). Place cherry dough (green) on the bottom; press to fill the tray. Place pecan dough (yellow) next, again pressing to fill the tray. Place the plain dough (red) on top; press to fill the tray.
  7. Cover the tray with wax paper; press the wax paper onto the cookie dough to keep it from drying out. Set in refrigerator overnight.
  8. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  9. Cut into 1/8 inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 5–7 minutes or less (depending on how thin they are). Watch carefully! They turn brown all of a sudden, and you want to catch them before that point.

Makes about 60–70 cookies if cut nice and thin.