Enfield Shaker Bristol Cookies Recipe

One cup sugar, two-thirds cup milk, half a cup of butter, two eggs, half a nutmeg, three teaspoons baking powder, flour to roll.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line with parchment paper or grease 3 baking sheets.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beating after each addition.

Chill for an hour. Roll 1/4″ thick and cut out with cookie cutters.

Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until edges are light golden brown.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line with parchment paper or grease 3 baking sheets.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar. Beat in the egg.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.

Chill for an hour. Roll ¼’ thick and cut out with cookie cutters.

Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes, until edges are light golden brown.

When cool, glaze with sugar glaze (optional recipe below).

In small mixing bowl, pour milk and add sugar slowly to make this glaze as thin or as thick as you want. Whisk together until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

 

Kitchen Tester’s Note: Updated Recipe #1 produced soft, almost scone-like cookies. The texture of the cookies in Updated Recipe #2 was crisper, similar to a modern butter cookie.

This recipe first appeared in Shaker Recipes for Cooks and Homemakers, by William Lassiter (New York: Greenwich Book Publishers, 1959, p. 130) and is attributed to Sister Martha Wetherhill. Shaker Recipes for Cooks and Homemakers was reprinted by Bonanza Books in 1978 under the title Shaker Recipes and Formulas for Cooks and Homemakers. Both editions are out of print, but are available at reasonable cost at www.abebooks.com or www.eBay.com.