Childhood memories from Seventeen Magazine.

No "real" recipe picture this time as, in typical-Tricia style, these cookies were assembled in various places and the recipe copy remains at the second place - my Dad's. Also, it turns out that Blogger does not like iphone pictures so also no pictures of the final cookies. This one here is a fake, as ours never had sprinkles. This one is actually from the Pioneer Woman so I wonder if she knows about these too? Hum?

I do truly hope the recipe has been salvaged as it was written in my sister Kate's handwriting (from roughly 40 years ago) and I can only assume we will never be able to find the recipe again as it came from Seventeen Magazine back in the 70s. I have no idea (again, must consult Kate) who discovered these cookies in our family or who first made the cookies but I am assuming it was Mom with Kate and Nancey as teenagers. Wait, let's Google.

So, I google "Seventeen Cookies" and way down at the bottom of the search page is something that looked like it might be close to our beloved cookies. The entry was from www.squidoo.com which seems to be some sort of clearinghouse of "best ofs" site and this appeared on its sugar cookie site, with a recipe following.

My Grandma's Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe
These cookies are called "Seventeen's" because the recipe came from an issue of Seventeen magazine in the 1940's.
They are thin and crispy with a light lemon flavor. They are not overly sweet. They keep very well and I actually like them better a little stale because the lemon flavor comes up more the older they get.

So, a couple of things to observe 1) holy cow, this recipe is apparently from the 40s 2) either my Mom (or this woman's Grandma), or both, adapted this recipe - ours are NOT lemon and they are NOT crisp, it almost feels like sacrilege to even include this but I kinda had to in case I have managed to lose "our" recipe for good and 3) other people actually know about this cookie and this recipe, it seems. Not sure if I am annoyed or excited about this. Thoughts?

Back to the goodness... I remember Mom's version of Seventeen Cookies well. They sit in my memory, at times, as the best cookies I have ever tasted. I have craved them over the years, especially when I see impostors on a bakery shelf and hope for that same cakey, doughy taste and crunchy, yet soft in the middle texture. It was usually a "flame out" that left me disappointed and looking for the closest beverage to wash out the taste of some sort of fake hydrogenated oil (the usual suspect in a cookie of this type - usually found in grocery stores).

So I haven't a clue why I have not made these cookies since I was a child as I remember loving them and my sisters love them and I know my friends would love them. Well, let's be honest, they are not particularly sophisticated (the recipe came from Seventeen Magazine, did we forget?) and I have been a "wee" bit snooty about my baking choices in recent years. I can only assume that Gourmet never reprinted this recipe. But, I am going on the record to say that they should! And my snootiness is subsiding as I find that simple is often much better. Perhaps its the nostalgia that encourages me to love these cookies but I do think the flavor and texture are just what a frosted sugar cookie should be - doughy, not too sweet, cakey and yummy with just enough salt to cut the crazy sweetness of the confectioner's sugar icing.

I decided that Seventeen Cookies were the next recipe because Olsen's birthday was coming up and I thought these a perfect treat for a 2 year old's b-day. I also thought that Landon would love them too. In fact, I was delusional about being able to decorate them with Landon on the same day that Kate and I were throwing the dinner party for 25 at Dad's. Needless to say, Landon never had a chance to decorate cookies. In fact, the cookies didn't even make it to Olsen's bday party but I did deliver in time for Lan to have one on her way to school the next day. What a great godmother I am to show up with sugar at 8am.

Bake to the process, I decided to bake the cookies at my house before heading to Dad's for the weekend, which was super easy. The dough comes together in one bowl essentially and the hardest part is cutting out. But this isn't even hard, it is zen, honestly. 2 - 3 inch rounds are the traditional shape. I thought about going with some fancy shape but why mess with tradition (when will I learn this lesson for good?).

Rolling out dough is usually not my thing. I don't find it easy to create an even, usable dough with a rolling pin but these were easy as the dough isn't sticky and you can re-chill and re-roll often. The only thing to point out here is that the cookies really don't rise very much so roll them close to the thickness you want. I rolled them too thin at first. I'd go with 1/3 to even 1/2 inch next time. I had to cut the baking time down a bit but likely would have been perfect if I had the right thickness. And another thing to remember - these suckers do not brown, if they brown, you are screwed. They are meant to be yellowy and cakey, the dough color should not change, not enough fat for that, I think.

By the way, before I even put these cookies in the oven I was feeling sick from stuffing myself. Yes, I had stuffed myself with cookie dough. This dough is amazing! I was eating chunks of it without even thinking (and I wonder why I'm not making progress at the gym?). It should be a think consistency somewhat like the tubes of refrigerated sugar cookie dough.

As I finally get the thickness right with the third batch out of the oven, I am so pleased with the uniform, even roundness of the simple little disks and excited to ice them! Mmmm... the sugary icing, I can't wait. Thank goodness, I am not making it tonight or I would likely go into a sugar coma.

After delusions of teaching Lan about Seventeen Cookies and then thinking my sisters and I would decorate them for old time sake, I suck Sarah and Levi into the project, who turn out to be troopers. Sarah made the icing, reminding me of her Aunt several times while rushing through the recipe and forgetting the vanilla at the same time she dipped the cord of the mixer into the icing. Nonetheless, she made a perfect icing in the end and her Grandmom would be proud. The jury is still out on Levi and Sarah's level of joy - the picture to decide for yourself. Oh wait, the iphone pictures won't work but suffice it to say that neither look particularly thrilled but they stuck it out and I think Sarah actually liked the cookies. Turns out Levi is one of those people I wish to be - he doesn't "love" sweets. How do I get to be like that?

Levi also revealed himself as quite the meticulous decorator (which he will likely regret with me someday) and mastered the "Seventeen" icing in no time. It is critical to cover as much of the cookie as possible without letting it run over the edges. I could hardly wait to eat one of these (of course, I had already had a couple un-iced but just not the same) and once the task was complete, I devoured ... 3, maybe 4, Okay maybe even 5 cookies and was completely satisfied and felt whole again after years of cravings.

Even while I am writing this, I am craving one of the yummy treats. I still have 2 in my freezer but I have not allotted myself one for the day so I must wait! I love my Mom for all that she gave me in life and I love that she has left me with memories like cookies from Seventeen Magazine(is it even still in print?).

"Seventeen" Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp milk
pinch salt
food coloring

Preheat oven to 325. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add sifted flour until just combined. Chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Roll out and cut into 3 inch rounds. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes.

Frosting: Cream butter, add vanilla and salt, Then add sugar alternating with milk beating until fluffy. Time the food coloring and icing fun!