How to Make Presidential Cookies on President's Day

Though not a major holiday, President's Day still means a day off for many people and a chance to reflect on the legacy of our nation's leaders. You can make presidential cookies as a quick and fun way to help celebrate, or as part of a grade-school lesson on the holiday and its significance. Cookie recipes favored in the Washington and Lincoln households--Shrewsbury cakes, which were a favorite of Martha Washington's and gingerbread cookies, which Lincoln's mother made for him--are excellent place to begin.

Things You'll Need

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 mixing bowls
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup of chopped dried cherries
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. allspice
• Plastic wrap
• 2 baking sheets
• Baking grease or Pam
• Patriotic decorations

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Blend 1 stick of butter with 1/2 cup of sugar until smooth.

3. Mix in the vanilla, the egg, the milk and 1/4 tsp of salt in a mixing bowl until the mixture is smooth.

4. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and the chopped cherries.

5. Place the dough in the refrigerator and let it chill for 1 hour.

6. Blend the second stick of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in the second mixing bowl until smooth.

7. Beat the molasses and the egg yolk into the mixture.

8. Take the third bowl and stir together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, the baking powder, the baking soda, the cloves, the ginger, the nutmeg and the allspice.

9. Combine the elements of the second and third bowls slowly, beating the powder mixture into the second bowl.

10. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Keep it there for at least 1 hour.

11. Remove both bowls.

12. Roll the molasses dough into cookie shapes and place the shapes onto a baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart.

13. Ball the cherry dough into tiny balls and place them on a greased cookie sheet.

14. Place each sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 12 minutes each. You can bake them together if your oven will fit them or one at a time if they don't.

15. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes before serving.

16. Explain their significance to President's Day to those eating them and garnish them with small flags or red, white and blue decorations to make the look presidential.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep an eye out for presidential cookie recipes by various First Ladies. In days gone by, even the president's wife was expected to stay home and make cookies, and some of them turned out some really great recipes in the process.

• If you don't have enough room in your oven for two baking sheets, you can use one. Simply divide it in half and put each set of cookies on one half. You can repeat the baking process (Steps 12-14) each time until you've used up all the dough. Remember, the gingerbread side of the baking sheet should not be greased, but the cherry side should.