Gum Drop Cookies

I'm still working on Holiday decorations. I prefer to take my time and work a little each day and let the house evolve. I am, however, running out of time. My son graduates from NC State next week so I'll be gone part of Tuesday, all of Wednesday, and part of Thursday with his graduation. We are very proud of him as he is graduating in 3 1/2 years with a BS in chemical engineering and a minor in mathematics. He has a 4.0 in the honors program, so he's graduating summa cum laude and is one of the class valedictorians!

Anyway, I'm also gearing up into cookie/candy making pretty heavily.

The latest endeavor is an OLD recipe from my father's mother's family. My mother tells me that it is at least one generation back from that. What she had was mostly a list of ingredients and some rudimentary instructions. I started working with it two years ago. This year I ran across a recipe for "Anise Macaroons" that isn't REALLY a macaroon, but looks like another version of the base cookie for THIS recipe. I tried it out and it works like a charm.

Gum Drop Cookies
(makes about 60 SMALL cookies - 32 larger ones)

6 ounce gumdrops, cut in pieces (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pecans, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 Tablespoons flour
4 eggs
15 ounces brown sugar (2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 1/2 ounces flour (2 cups)
Orange Butter Cream Frosting (recipe to follow)

Mix gumdrops, pecans, and 2 T flour, set aside
Let eggs stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. In a large bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 10 minutes, or until eggs are slightly thickened and light colored.
Gradually beat in sugar; continue to beat until mixture is smooth and shiny - about 5 minutes.
Reduce mixer to low speed; stire in baking powder and cinnamon, then stir in flour, 1/2 cup at a time.
Fold in gumdrop and pecan mixture.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough using small cookie scoop 1-1/2 inches apart.
Let stand, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. Overnight is OK
Preheat oven to 275F
Bake cookies about 25 minutes or until firm and barely beginning to brown on edges.
Let cool on baking sheet. Peel off paper.

I suggest using old fashioned cookie sheets not the insulated kind so that the bottom really cooks.

Orange Buttercream frosting

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 cups powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
1 dash orange extract (optional)

beat togeter butter, orange juice, and salt
Add powdered sugar to desired consistency

Fill a piping bag or a zip lock bag with frosting. Using a small star tip (or snipping a small hole) frost each cookie with a swirl of frosting (Go light -these are rich enough).

Enjoy!