Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies circa 1950, from the Swift'ning Company

Grandmother Block has a booklet we've found amongst her things...it is entitled "77 Recipes Using Swift'ning Make Your Own Mix" by Martha Logan, Home Economist, Swift and Company circa 1950.  Swift'ning is described as an all-purpose shortening.  Neither Mother nor I recall the name; do you, perhaps?

Inside, we found an interesting recipes called Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies.

All the recipes require Make-Your-Own-Mix which is to be in a closed canister or can in the pantry, so we'll begin with that:

Swift'ning Make-Your-Own-Mix

Yield:  about 13 cups                      (We tried Bisquick - see pictures below)

2 cups Swift'ning
9 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon salt (or 1 1/2 to Tablespoons of salt may be used)
1/4 cup or 4 Tablespoons double-acting baking powder (like Calumet, K-C, and Clabber Girl)

Combined sifted flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir well.  Sift into a large bowl, large pan or onto heavy paper.  Add Swift'ning (all-purpose shortening).  Use fingers or pastry blender to distribute Swift'ning throughout dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  The Make-Your-Own Mix is now ready to use or store in a closed canister on your pantry shelf.

Martha Logan

Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies

Yield:   18 to 20 large cookies (these made twelve for us; we used a Tablespoon)

1 1/2 cups Swift'ning Make-Your-Own Mix (do not pack) (We used Bisquick)
1/2 cup sugar
 1 egg, slightly beaten
1 square or 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend Mix and sugar.  Add egg and beat well.  Stir in the chocolate, milk, and vanilla.  Drop from a teapsoon on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart.  Bake in a moderate oven.  Cool.  Spread with Snowy Cream or Chocolate Frosting. (see below)

Baking Temperature:  350 degrees Fahrenheit
Bake:  about 10 Minutes


Snowy Cream Frosting

1/4 cup Swift'ning (all-purpose shortening) (I'd like to try butter next time)
1/2 tsp salt (when I tried this, it was much too salty; next time I'll use 1/8 tsp)

1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 to 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

Beat Swift'ning until light.  Beat in remaining ingredients.  Beat until smooth and creamy.

For Chocolate Icing, add 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder.

from Taste of Home

Taste of Home online also has a comparable recipe here:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Drop-Cookies

Darla, I couldn't find the Charlotte's Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe from the back of the Imperial Sugar bag from the early 1960's, even when looking online, so I hope this will help at least somewhat for your Saturday treat day :-)

If anyone out there in blogland has that recipe, will you please let me know?

Thank you!

Here's my version used with what I had on hand - Bisquick

These are as easy as brownies to mix up!

350 degrees for 10 minutes produced soft, cake-like results...

if you prefer a crisper cookie, I'd recommend 12 minutes.

Mother prefers these without frosting; my DS prefers his with frosting!

My DS enjoyed a Chocolate Drop Cookie today as an after-school snack with a glass of milk.

Here's one for you!