Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies - Mrs. Allen's Recipe (2024)

Published: April 26, 2015 • Modified: February 21, 2022 • by Author: Analida • Word count:862 words. • About 5 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links.

Mrs. Allen's cookies. No, this is not a new grocery store brand, but another installment in the Aunt Lou's Archives series. By the way, Mrs. Allen was a real person. So, who was she? How did her old-fashioned sugar cookie recipe end up in Aunt Lou's hands? Whether she was a neighbor, the grocer's wife, or a church friend, we will never know.

Old-fashioned sugar cookies

Mrs. Allen's cookies. No, this is not a new grocery store brand, but another installment in the Aunt Lou's Archives series. By the way, Mrs. Allen was a real person. So, who was she? How did her old-fashioned sugar cookie recipe end up in Aunt Lou's hands? Whether she was a neighbor, the grocer's wife, or a church friend, we will never know.

I am however thankful that at some point in time, Mrs. Allen cookie recipe made its way to Aunt Lou's kitchen and consequently to mine. It goes without saying that this old-fashioned recipe contained no instructions. My husband checked with his mother who has made these many times. I must admit, the dough/batter is rather unusual as far as cookies go. It looks a bit more like biscuit dough. My husband's grandmother Kathryn McEvoy fondly referred to as Grandma Mac "improved" upon the original recipe by adding lemon juice and vanilla, just so you know. Thank you Grandma Mac!!!

Dunking Tips

Better dunkability (?). My husband remembers his grandmother (Aunt Lou's niece) making these raisin cookies for him and his brothers. They would anxiously wait at her kitchen table with a glass of whole milk at the ready. There was a "method" to eating these cookies. First you either had to break off a piece or take a small bite. Yes, this was the way. "Why?" I asked, slightly puzzled. According to him, breaking off a chunk before dunking made the cookie more absorbent and "dunk-able". Yes, dunkable is a word.

The Texture

A blissful marriage between a cake and a cookie. They have that soft interior that gives them its "cakey" quality. The sour cream in the recipe certainly contributes to this marvelous texture. Did I say sour cream? Wait a minute! Sour cream wasn't commercially available until about 50 years ago. This recipe dates from the Depression Era. So, where would Aunt Lou have found sour cream in the early 30's? Well, she made it of course. To make sour cream, she would've taken 1 pint of cream a little bit of lemon juice and left it on the counter for about 3 days. (There is an old pint of cream in the photo above. ) Yeah, 3 days! A quick sniff would have told her that it was ready. Now, that is some serious planning!!

Why One Raisin?

Mrs. Allen's cookies have one raisin in the middle. This is the way they were made. Raisins were most likely expensive during the Depression. My husband's grandmother never added more raisins, a quiet reminder of more difficult times. My husband and his brothers often asked "Grandma, can we have more raisins?" "No" she would smile and say. "Only one". Consequently, today, my mother in law makes them the same way: with one raisin. We will carry on the minimalist tradition. Less is more. Mrs. Allen would be proud.

Want to try more old-fashioned recipes from the family vault? Below are some of my recommendations

Hermit Cookie - These old-fashioned spice cookies are meant to imitate the look of a "hermit's bag."

Chocolate Drop Cookies - These chocolate cookies are chewy and crunchy. Serve them with a glass of milk.

Aunt Lou's $200 Cake - The ultimate cake to bring to your next party. It's not too sweet and the strawberry frosting adds the perfect lightness to it.

Looking for more recipes?
Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook