Hello!
Back in the 1990’s, seems like forever ago, I was working at a trucking company in Circleville. We would often have carry-ins.
My boss (her name is Duane, but we called her Du, the owner of the company always got our names confused, he called her Du and Me Lu, it was quite amusing to us, he said remind me never to hire a Du and Lu again, I can’t keep you two straight) brought in some homemade cookies that looked very unusual. They looked like a spiral with a filling in the center. Almost like a miniature cream horn. I asked her how she made those to get that look. She said she wrapped them around a clothespin covered in foil, or she said you can use Dow rods covered in foil.
I tried one and loved it. So, as usual, I had to ask for the recipe. They have a pastry like outside and the sweet soft filling is delicious.
Du explained that these cookies are an old Italian recipe. She has made them for years and has the process down to fine art.
These unique cookies do take a bit of extra time and gentleness to handle the dough, they are very delicate, but also so worth the extra time and effort.
The method used in the instructions below to incorporate the Crisco into the flour mixture is unusual. If you have a better way, you can use it. The key to this is to not over mix it because it’s kind of like pie crust. To keep it tender, you must be careful and gentle with it.
I have tinted the filling to fit the occasion. I tinted the filling red and some green for Christmas, and orange for Thanksgiving and Halloween.
If you decide to try your hand at these delicate, delicious cookies, set aside some extra time. They are worth it.
Clothes Pin Cookies
2 cups Crisco (I use the butter flavor)
3 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 egg yolks (save the whites, set them aside)
1 ¼ cups water
Directions:
Mix flour and sugar, add half-cup Crisco. In another bowl mix egg yolks and water, stir then add to flour mixture. Chill dough for one hour. Roll dough out on a flour board and add half cup Crisco, spread with a butter knife. Fold up like an envelope, repeat process until all the Crisco is used. Chill dough for one hour each time you add Crisco.
Use a small amount of dough and roll out very thinly. Cut in half inch strips in five-inch lengths. Roll it around a Dow rods, or clothes pin, slightly overlapping. Do not pull or roll too tightly. If it splits when baking it’s too tight, falls apart-too loose. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown on top. Cool on racks for a few minutes then pull off.
Filling
Beat egg whites stiff.
Add 2 lbs. of confectioners’ sugar.
Add 1 cup Crisco.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Add one 5.13-ounce jar of marshmallow cream.
Beat all the ingredients until smooth.
Fill pastry bags and fill the inside of cookies.
Enjoy!
