Recipe: Russian Rocks and Grandma Stephens' Rocks (cookies, one using apple)

RUSSIAN ROCKS

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar (brown or white)
3 eggs, beaten
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 2 tbsp. warm water
3 1/2 cups seedless dates or raisins, cut up (or a combination of raisins and chopped nuts)

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix well.

In another bowl, mix flour nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt together. Add to butter mixture and beat well.

Toss fruits and nuts with small amount of flour and add to batter. Add baking soda to mixture. Beat well. Drop with teaspoonfuls on greased baking sheet.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes or until done. Watch closely, they burn easily.

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GRANDMA STEPHENS' ROCKS

1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda in a little hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. molasses (I'm not sure if these are made without additional sugar or if the amount was omitted - 1 cup sugar may be added, if desired)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large apple, seeded, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup nuts, chopped
3 cups flour (or more)
1 cup raisins (or dates)

Mix all ingredients well. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Source (for both recipes): Community cookbook, unknown title or date

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Dear Debbie,

I hope someone will have the recipe you're looking for. In the meantime, I thought I'd post the recipes above in case you feel like experimenting. I would use the first recipe as a start, tweaking the spices and adding the apple. I think the second recipe may have sugar missing as an ingredient - 1 tbsp. molasses doesn't seem like enough sweetener, but maybe that's how the author preferred them.

Best of luck with your chemo treatments - our thoughts and prayers are with you!

Happy Baking,

Betsy