We found the mints; let’s make the cookies

Forum cooks were absolutely thrilled to learn that Rockwood wafers are once again available:

“Oh, happy day to hear of the possibility of making Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies again,” Lee Yandle of Arlington writes.

Marysville reader Elizabeth Engelhaupt says, “I’m delighted to learn where I may find Rockwood mints. My family sent me goodies when I was away at school, and this was one of my favorites.”

Janet Pettigrew of Arlington tells us, “I am one of the many who made these Starlight cookies for my kids many times. I had to give up when I could no longer find the mints. Now I would again like to make them for my grandkids (ages 22, 20, 17 and seven). They still like Grandma’s cookies.”

Helen Clifford of Everett says, “I think I was one of the contributors of the Starlight mint cookies. I am very interested in where these are available – my family still remembers them after all these years.”

We hear from Esther Wright of Darrington, “What a happy day! When my husband was in Korea, the winter of 1951, I only sent him Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies. They were his favorite, as on the way to him, the flavor became more intense.”

Seattle reader Ruby Wyman asked, “Is there really a source for the Rockwood mints again? For the Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies? They were great!”

Deloris Berg of Camano Island remembers, “My mother made these Rockwood cookies every Christmas when I was growing up, until she couldn’t find the mints anymore. I still remember the box the candy came in. When she wrote out the recipe, she didn’t have the name of the cookie on the card. When I saw your article, I looked to see if I still had it, and I do. I am 68 years old, but you never forget the favorite recipes your mother made.”

Margaret Hopkins of Marysville says, “My mother made Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies when I was a young girl, and I in turn made them for my sons when they were young.”

“It’s great to hear Rockwood chocolate wafers are back,” Lynnwood cook Ann Lyons writes. “Like many others, I also thought they were gone forever.”

Sultan cook Dorothy Aklin winds up our sampling of readers’ comments, telling us, “I was thrilled when I read that Rockwood wafers are once again available. I have a recipe that was given to me by a relative back in the 1950s (that dates me), and it was a favorite with my children when they were growing up. I substituted Hershey kisses when the wafers were no longer available, but the cookies were just not the same. The relative was long forgotten … but never the recipe.” Happily, Aklin shares with us the following how-to for making her Brown-eyed Susans.

Of course, we must also thank Middy Ruthruff of Snohomish and Deloris Berg of Camano Island for sending along the recipe for Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies now that bakers again have the chocolate mint wafers. (By the way, readers who originally submitted this recipe, in a Nov. 26, 1994, Forum column, hoping someone could suggest a source for the chocolate mints, include: Gladys Giebel of Arlington; Mary Carlson and Caryl Glassman of Marysville; Rhea Hereth of Snohomish; Audrey Peterson of Granite Falls; and Lottie Elke, Edna A. Braa and Helen Clifford of Everett.

Now for the information you need to order them, as taken from the Fall 2004 Vermont Country Store catalog: Page 11; stock number H2734; specify MNT for mint or RUM for rum; specify the quantity; item description is “2 bags Rockwood Chocolate Wafers;” item price is $11.90. Shipping and processing charges are $7.95 for this amount. So, if you order a quantity of 1 (that’s two bags, remember), the total cost is $19.85.

By mail, list all of the above information, include a check, money order or credit card number and expiration date, and send to The Vermont Country Store, Goods &Wares, Mail Order Office, P.O. Box 6998, Rutland, VT 05702-6998.

By phone, have the above information in hand and call 802-362-8470. Online: www.vermontcountrystore.com.

Brown-eyed Susans

3/4cup soft butter or margarine

1/2cup granulated sugar

1egg

1teaspoon vanilla

1/4teaspoon salt

13/4cups flour

Rockwood wafers, rum or mint

In mixing bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugar; beat in egg, vanilla and salt, then stir in flour to make a dough. Chill for one hour. Shape dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie by pressing a Rockwood wafer into the center. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Starlight Mint Surprise Cookies

3cups flour

1teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

1cup butter, softened (or 1/2 cup each butter and shortening)

1cup granulated sugar

1/2cup brown sugar

2eggs

1-2tablespoons water

1teaspoon vanilla

Rockwood chocolate mint wafers

Walnut halves

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugars; blend in eggs, water and vanilla and beat well. Add flour mixture and mix thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Dough should be very cold.

To form each cookie, enclose a mint in about 1 tablespoon cold dough and place on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Top each cookie with a walnut half and bake at 375 degrees 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 41/2 dozen.

The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Time Out section.