Currants From My Garden Cookies

by debdegraeve

2.1K55

Intro: Currants From My Garden Cookies


I grew up eating these cookies with raisins instead of currants and always wondered what currants were and what they tasted like.  So I planted a currant bush in my garden and got a crop of berries last summer.  https://www.instructables.com/id/Debs-Garden-in-Iowa/     I picked them and made currant cookies with real currants.

STEP 1: Tools and Equipment

You will need the recipe and some basic baking tools:

   Large mixing bowl
   Mixing spoon
   Rubber scraper
   Measuring cups and spoons
   Parchment paper
   Baking sheet
   Oven
   Cooling racks

STEP 2:

The recipe is simple.  Only 5 ingredients.  If margarine were used instead of butter they are vegan cookies.

Currant Cookies

Mix together:
 2 cups butter or margarine
 1 cup sugar
 4 cups flour
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/2 cup currants

STEP 3:

Now you will need the baking sheet lined with parchment paper a bowl of sugar and a fork.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.   Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the sugar.  I like the cookies rolled in sugar even though the original recipe does not call for this.  It gives them a crispy, tasty sheen.  Place on parchment paper and criss cross with the fork.

STEP 4:

Bake at 400 degrees until set but not browned.  I baked mine for about 10 minutes.  Set the timer for 6 minutes then check them until done.

STEP 5:

And here is a pretty tray of light, tender, slightly crispy cookies with a burst of berry flavor.  So good!

5 Comments

SebastianlzFerrari 12 years ago

Actually I read that currants, real currants, not the Zante Raisin, were banned from the US till a few years ago. My grandmother always made scones when I visited her in England, but mine when I made them never tasted the same, It was probably due to the fact I used Zante Raisins instead of real Black/red currants. I know buy the real thing from this website called currantc.com. All of the products are made my the guy who got the ban raised. Its amazing how the USA missed out on such an incredible little fruit for almost a century. I highly recommend checking out the site if you love currants and want to use the real thing in you scones or cookies or anything really.

Wezard 12 years ago

In the UK (probably a lot of other places outside the USA), currants are a name for a small raisin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zante_currant

This is probably what the recipe meant, though I'm sure the cookies are delicious :)

debdegraeve 12 years ago

The red currants burst with flavor and juiciness in your mouth when you eat these cookies. I also thought small blueberries, raspberries or blackberries would work well in this recipe.

technoplastique 12 years ago

This recipe is definitely meant for this kind of currant:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redcurrant - Ribes rubrum

although you can use raisins if you can't find red currants. Red currants are more tart than raisins, and the cookie has a shortbread sort of texture that balances well with tartness. The cookies are good both ways, but it's worth the effort to try to track down or grow red currants!