Recipe for Welsh Cookies:
Mix and set aside dry ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mace
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix together wet ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 eggs
1 cup dried currants
3/4 cups milk
Add dry mixture to wet. I usually mix the wet ingredients (including the currants) in a Kitchen-Aid mixer. Then I add the dry ingredients one wooden spoonful at a time while the mixer is on the lowest speed. If you are using a hand mixer you will have to mix the batter by hand with a large spoon when it starts to get stiff. When all the dry ingredients are added, the batter will be stiff but very sticky. I scrape the batter out of my mixing bowl directly onto a piece of plastic wrap, seal it tightly, and chill it for at least an hour in the refrigerator. I have even left the batter in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The cookies taste even better when the batter has time to absorb the flavor of the currants and spices.
When the batter is chilled, divide it into fourths and roll it out using liberal amounts of flour. Remember the batter is very sticky and if it gets warm it’s hard to work with. I put the unused dough back in the refrigerator until I’m ready to roll it out. The dough should be between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick. If they are too thick they will not cook in the middle and if they are too thin the cookies will be hard and dry.
Cut them out using a glass or round cookie cutter and fry them at medium heat (around 350 degrees) until the cookies are light brown on each side. Do not grease the pan. You will get the best results if you use an electric griddle because the heat is even on the entire surface. You will also spend less time frying them because you can fit more on a griddle than in a frying pan.
These Welsh cookies are almost like pancakes when you fry them. You can tell when to flip them over because they start to get a little puffy. Make sure that your pan or electric griddle is completely up to the desired temperature before you start or the first batch that you fry will burn. You will also need a stiff spatula because the cookies are delicate while they are being cooked and they break easily.
Cool them completely on a wire rack and then store them in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container. This recipe makes approximately 5 dozen cookies, depending on the size of your cookie. Welsh cookies are great to make for the holidays because they freeze well. They taste just as fresh after they’ve been frozen and they stay fresh longer than most cookies. I’ve kept them in a container at room temperature for over a week.
Welsh cookies are a little “fussy” to make. They take a little more time and effort but they are delicious, enjoy!
