Recipe: Rocks, Date and Nut Chews, and Date-Nut Balls

ROCKS

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) margarine, softened
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. water
4 cups self-rising flour
1 tbsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 boxes sugar-coated chopped dates worked into dough
chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with foil.

Cream together the sugar, margarine, eggs, and water. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop in small pods (balls) on prepared baking sheets. They are not supposed to flatten out.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Hi Kate,

The above recipe was the only one for Rocks that I found that referred to a ball shape. One thought I had was the recipe your grandmother used was a standard Rocks recipe but the dough was chilled then rolled in balls before baking. In the next two recipes the cookies are baked, then shaped into balls and rolled in powdered sugar. I sure hope that the exact recipe is found! Happy Holidays - Betsy at Recipelink.com

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DATE AND NUT CHEWS

2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup finely chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Place eggs in a large bowl, add almond extract and beat until light. Gradually beat in sugar and syrup. Add dates and nuts and mix well. Fold in sifted flour. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and while still hot, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Shape at once into small balls and roll in powdered sugar.

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DATE-NUT BALLS
(with coconut and no flour)
Make about 30 balls

2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash salt
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup coconut
confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Mix all ingredients together and spread in prepared pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until light brown. Remove from oven.

Stir and cool. Roll in small balls in confectioners' sugar.