Jan Hagel Cookies

For about 15 years I have been a member of our local historical society. Last weekend we had a lovely little open house to celebrate 120 years since our village was incorporated. The early settlers were of German and Dutch descent, so some of the ladies made some traditional German and Dutch recipes to go along with the coffee and tea.

These were the "peppernuts" and you'll see a handwritten recipe from a local lady named Adele Schultz. Her grandfather was one of the village's earliest settlers. Adele just celebrated her 100th birthday!

Lansing Historical Society members Barb Dust and Carol Schultz followed her recipe for this huge batch. Barb was a little surprised to see a recipe that called for 5 pounds of flour, but realized that when this recipe was made a century ago, it was meant to feed a hungry bunch of brickyard workers or farmhands.

These are the Dutch desserts that were made by Joyce Mulder and Anna Mae VanDrunen. It's Jan Hagel Cookies and Dutch Spice Cookies.

While all of the cookies were wonderful, it was the Jan Hagel cookies that I was most fond of. They are highly addictive. I found myself walking by the table over and over again to grab one of these bit sized treats. Joyce was kind enough to e-mail the recipe, so I'm sharing it with you! Joyce is a retired teacher, so it's no surprise that she was so specific and even let us know the correct pronunciation!


Here is a little information and the recipe for the Jan Hagel cookies I made for the historical
society open house.

Jan Hagel (pronounced yon HAH ghel) cookies are a traditional Dutch holiday treat.  The cookie dough is pressed into a very thin layer and topped with an egg white wash and sliced almonds before baking.  After they are baked, they are cut into small rectangular shapes.

Here is the recipe:
                             JAN HAGEL COOKIES

        1 cup butter                    1 teaspoon cinnamon
        1 cup sugar                     1 Tablespoon water
        1 egg, separated              Sliced almonds
         2 cups flour

Cream sugar and butter together.  Add egg yolk.  Beat until blended.
Mix flour and cinnamon and add to creamed mixture a little at a time.
(This is quite a stiff dough, best to use a mixer rather than beating by hand.)
With fingers, press into a thin layer in a well-greased 15 x 10 inch pan.
Beat egg white and water until foamy and brush over dough with pastry brush..  
Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until light brown.
Remove from oven and immediately cut into 1 x 2 inch strips.
Cool in pan for a few minutes before removing.

                                                                        Enjoy!     Joyce Mulder