It’s official. I am the luckiest post-partum mommy around. I have had the pleasure of having my 90-year old grandmother, Grandma Lou, in town from Iowa, and I’ve been devouring her always DELISH baked goods for the past five days. From her famous Swedish Rye Bread, Swedish Cinnamon Rolls (these put Cinnabon to shame!), Swedish Pancakes (my ultimate favorite since I was a kid…I once ate 12 in one sitting), and her Ranger Cookies (the BEST cookie you will ever sink your teeth into!), our mouths and bellies have been quite busy. And if you couldn’t tell by the names, she is Swedish. (She even lives in a town called “Swedesburg,” She also travels the world, takes selfies, rides her bike everyday, and texts with all of her grandchildren from her iPhone. Not bad for a 90-year old, eh?)
Now, I’ve been making her famous recipes for years, but for some reason, they never taste the same as when my grandma makes them. Don’t get me wrong, whenever I bake one of her recipes, I am suddenly the most popular person on the planet and deal with endless requests to bake more. However, for some reason – probably from the 70 – 80+ years she’s had to perfect them – hers just have that extra ‘grandma’s touch.’ (My husband agrees. In fact, whenever we visit Iowa, his first stop is always Grandma Lou’s kitchen. His personal favorites include her apple pie and the famous Ranger Cookies.)
To share our family’s absolute favorite version of the ranger cookie, here is my grandma’s Ranger Cookie recipe. WARNING: They are extremely addictive!
Ranger Cookies
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Shortening (soft)
2 Eggs
2 Cups of flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Cup flaked coconut
1/2 Tsp. salt
2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Cups Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Cream shortening and sugar, add beaten eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add shortening mixture. Drop from tsp to ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. ENJOY!
~Angela