Grandmom’s Orange and Cocoa Jam Cookies

A Leberto family favorite, this is a unique recipe. Saltines, grape jelly, cocoa and orange zest come together in this bite-sized piece of our family history.

Grandmom’s Orange and Cocoa Jam Cookies

Ingredients:
For dough
½ cup oil
4 eggs
1¼ cups sugar
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 orange

For filling
1-pound jar grape jelly
1 cup toasted almonds (chopped)
¾ cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
2½-3½ cups crushed saltines
Zest and juice of 2 oranges

For royal icing
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 teaspoons powdered egg whites (meringue powder)

Instructions:
1. To make the dough: In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and orange juice together until well combined. In separate bowl, mix or sift flour and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients to sugar/oil mixture. Blend well, until it is a cohesive dough.
2. For the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except saltines. While stirring, heat on medium until mixture comes to a boil. Once filling comes to a boil, add the saltines. Allow to cool
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out the cookie dough ¼-inch thick. Pipe the filling into the center of the dough, then fold both sides of the dough into the center. Cut into squares.
4. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes.
5. While cookies are baking, make icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, powdered egg whites, and ¼ cup water (if needed, adjust consistency with confectioners’ sugar). Transfer icing to a pastry bag with a small tip, or place in resealable plastic bag and snip a small hole in the corner.
6. After baking allow cookies to cool, then decorate with royal icing.