Susie's Raisin-Filled Cookies

Ingredients

For the Filling:

•     Approximately 36 ounces of raisins
•     2/3 cup sugar
•     2/3 cup light brown sugar
•     5 cups water
•     1/4 teaspoon salt
•     2 tablespoons butter
•     1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
•     1 teaspoon cinnamon
•     4 tablespoons cornstarch
•     1/2 cup water

For the Cookie Dough

•     3-1/2 cups flour
•     1 cup sugar
•     1/2 cup Crisco
•     1/2 cup butter
•     2 eggs
•     1/4 cup whole milk
•     1 teaspoon salt
•     3 teaspoons baking powder
•     1 teaspoon nutmeg
•     2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Step 1: For the Filling:  Place raisins, both sugars, salt, cinnamon and 5 cups of water in a heavy kettle. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cornstarch which has been dissolved in a little cold water. Cook a few minutes longer until mixture thickens. Add butter and lemon juice.


Step 2: For the Cookie Dough: Sift together dry ingredients. Work in crisco and butter using a pastry blender as you would for piecrust dough. You could alternatively use a food processor.

Step 3: Beat eggs and then add milk and vanilla to eggs.


Step 4: Make a hole in center of flour mixture. Add egg mixture and mix well. If dough is too soft to roll out, add some flour for right consistency.


Step 5: Roll out dough in a long piece, about 4 inches wide. Place raisin filling on dough. Roll another piece of dough the same size. Place on top of dough with the raisin filling. Use a cookie crimper to cut and seal cookie.


Step 6: Bake for about twenty minutes in a 350 degree oven about 20 minutes until cookies are light brown in color.