Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 2¼ cups water
  • 1½ cups raisins
  • 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon cloves
  • 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons warm water

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.
  • Combine water, raisins, and shortening in a medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the lid, and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • While the raisin mixture is boiling, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl.
  • Pour the slightly cooled raisin mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined and moistened (the batter at this point will have the consistency of a paste). Add the beaten eggs and again stir with a spoon, until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with some moist crumbs attached.
  • While the cookies are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and warm water in a small bowl. As soon as you take the pan out of the oven, drizzle the glaze over the cookies and quickly spread into an even layer.
  • Cool to room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.