Recipe: Helms Bakery Spice Cookies

Helms Bakery Spice Cookies
Source: Press-enterprise, Cook and Tell by Liz Caesar; 6/23/1999

Joanne New of Hemet reached a way back to request a recipe for spice cookies made by Helms Bakery in Los Angeles in the 1850s and '60s. She also asked for a carne asada recipe. Both were answered by Gust Vreneos of Cathedral City.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed golden brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light molasses
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine brown sugar, honey, molasses and unsalted butter in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until mixture just boils, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature.

Sift into a bowl the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, mustard, cloves, white pepper and salt. Stir in cooled sugar mixture (dough will be stiff). Knead until dough holds together and is smooth. Cookie dough can be prepared a day ahead and stored in refrigerator.

Position racks in the top and lowest thirds of a 350-degree oven. Butter 2 cookie sheets. Divide dough in half. Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter cut dough into rounds or other shapes. Place 1/2 inch apart on buttered cookie sheets.

Gather scraps and repeat rolling and cutting. Bake in 350-degree oven until cookies are crisp and light brown, exchanging positions of cookie sheets half way through the baking, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining dough piece. Store cookies in airtight containers at room temperature.