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Aunt It's Cookies

(Revised by Marie-France Ghent, 1994)

Kelly's great-grandmother brought this family recipe from Sicily in the early 1900's. Since the recipe was not written, our cousins observed and recorded the making of the cookies by Aunt Italia, hence "Aunt It's Cookies." Each family made minor changes to individual tastes. Hope you like them.

Makes 6 dozen cookies

6 eggs
6 oz. milk
1 lb. sugar (2 c.)
14 oz. Crisco (1 2/3 c.)
1 1/2 T allspice
6 rounded T cocoa
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp clove
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
6 c flour
1 1/2 c. black raisins
2 c. chopped walnuts
1/8 to 1/4 tsp ginger

In a large mixing bowl cream eggs and sugar; add Crisco and mix well. Mix all dry ingredients except raisins and nuts. Add to bowl a little at a time. Half way through the mixing, add milk and vanilla; add raisins and nuts. Dough should be very soft. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Form into smooth balls the size of large walnuts. Bake at 400 degrees in preheated oven for 9 minutes. When cold, decorate with confectioners' sugar glaze.