Mrs America’s Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies – 1956

This post and recipe is for lovers of anything vintage. Last year, our local paper carried a story about a vintage Nebraska Cookie Cutter purchased in an antique shop that included Mrs. Carl Dietemeyer’s Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookie recipe tucked inside the box. Apparently Mrs. Dietemeyer was crowned Mrs. America 1956, after her husband and son entered her into the local contest sponsored by the American Gas Association. After winning the local competition, she then moved on to the national competition held in Daytona Beach.

According to this fascinating article, “Mrs America credits her husband’s writing ability with her winning the award for the best dinner menu. For example her roast beef dinner became “Cornhusker Roasted Beef accompanied by Seaside Ambrosia” and so on.

After being crowned Mrs America 1956, her other prizes included a complete set of state-of-the art kitchen and laundry appliances, a new car, and a six-week trip to Europe with her husband to meet with European housewives and discuss domestic arts.

We made this recipe last year and found this sugar cookie recipe was superior to our tried and true sugar cookie recipe and MUCH EASIER to roll out. If you need something fun to do with your children, bake Mrs. Dietemeyer’s cookies.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp sour cream

Preheat oven to 400. Sift flour and salt together. Cream butter; add sugar gradually. Add eggs and flavorings; mix thoroughly.

Dissolve baking soda in sour cream; add alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Chill dough for two hours. Roll 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured board and cut with a floured cokie cutter. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 7 minutes.

This recipe was Mrs America’s mother’s recipe. It is very vintage and very good.