

Meet my mom, Helen Reinhold. She taught me to cook. And bake. And collect interesting recipes (hoarding, anyone?), offbeat ingredients, charming kitchen tools, and to take pride in my kitchen prowess.
She taught me to persevere, make-do, tweak, personalize and innovate, all in the name of delicious food.
I’m sure she didn’t know she was teaching me all those things, but that’s what happens when you are cooking for a family of 6 and your only daughter is underfoot in the kitchen.
She’s Italian, but she married a Pennsylvania Dutch-German, so my food loves are all over the map! Want to talk homemade cavatelli, or fried mush and scrapple for breakfast? I’m your girl.
Here’s her ancient recipe box, full of treasures. I snatched it from the packed box as we were moving her into a lovely assisted living place, where others now do the cooking for her.
It belongs to me now, and I’ll be mining it for treasure.
And memories.
Happy Mother’s Day to all who are moms, who have or had moms, or who would like to be moms some day. That about covers everyone, eh?
I made cookies. My mom would be proud of me for these, because they’re THAT good!
Recipe: Scotch Tea Cookies
Summary: Buttery and brown sugary, these simple Scotch Tea cookies will have your eyes rolling back in your head – they’re THAT good!
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats (dry) (source gluten-free oats to make this a gluten-free treat)
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt and mix well. Stir in butter. Press mixture evenly into an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes; top will be golden brown.
- Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Cut/score into 24 squares, but leave cookies in pan. Cool entirely before cutting again, following your original cut lines, and removing cookies from pan. (If you remove them while hot, they will fall apart. Trust me on this.) Store in an air-tight container (but honestly, it’s not like you’re going to have any of these left over!).
- Makes 20 cookies.
Recipe source
Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious
Other Helen Reinhold recipes on ShockD
Preparation time: 7 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Diet type: Vegetarian
Diet tags: Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 10-15
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
My rating
Today’s Sunday Supper recipes
This week our #SundaySupper blogger crew is celebrating Mother’s Day, hosted by Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake. Make something for your mom!
Mother’s Day Breakfast:
- Bacon,Egg and Cheddar Scones from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
- Chai Berry Muffins from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Chocolate Almond Prune Bread from What Smells So Good?
- Greek Breakfast Strata from Curious Cuisiniere
- Maple Almond Butter from girlichef
- Orange Julius from Neighborfood
- Rum Rolls from Daily Dish Recipes
- Slow Cooker Eggs with an Asian Accent from NinjaBaking.com
Mother’s Day Appetizers, Soups and Salads:
- Asparagus and Prosciutto Crostini from Hip Foodie Mom
- Carrot Ginger Soup from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
- Chilled Spring Pea Soup from An Appealing Plan
- I Love You Mom Melon Salad from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
- Strawberry Salad with Asparagus Mousse from Delaware Girl Eats
- Truffled Sea Salt Shrimp Arugula Salad from Family Foodie
- Vegetable Shu Mai from My Healthy Eating Habits
Mother’s Day Main Dishes:
- Betty’s Salad from Jelly Toast
- Brussels Sprouts Kofta from Soni’s Food
- Cajun Shrimp Eggplant Casserole from Food Lust People Love
- Crepes Lorraine from Noshing With The Nolands
- Greek Chicken Pizza from Casa de Crews
- Ham and Spinach Quiche from Try Anything Once Culinary
- Lightened-Up Penne & Tomato Cream Sauce with Peas & Prosciutto from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Mac & Cheese Dressed Up for Mother’s Day from Cooking Chat
- Mini Pot Pies from Jane’s Adventures in Cooking
- Paprika Shrimp from Nosh My Way
- Spears in a Blanket from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Mother’s Day Desserts:
- Banana Cream Pie from Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Black-Eyed Susan from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Cannoncini alla Crema from Manu’s Menu
- Chocolate Babka from Run DMT
- Chocolate Caramel Tart from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Creme Brûlée from Desserts Required
- Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Gluten Free Lemon Curd Pie from Gluten Free Crumbley
- Lemon Cookies from Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Limoncello Lemon Pound Cake from Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Mom’s Glazed Blueberry Tarts from The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Mom’s Coconut Macaroons from MealDiva
- Mango Sorbet from Pescetarian Journal
- PB&J Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Peach Cobbler from Cookin’ Mimi
- Pina Colada Cake from The Foodie Army Wife
- Pineapple Empanadas from La Cocina de Leslie
- Scotch Tea Cookies from Shockingly Delicious
- Strawberry Shortcake Whipped Cream Cupcakes from Seduction in the Kitchen
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Pies and Plots
This is such a fun recipe!
These are dangerous around my kids! Adding this to our weekend plans!
You are making want to whip up a batch of this scotch tea cookies and start a pot of coffee or some tea. Love how easy they are to make.
Wanda,
They are SO, SO easy! You have everything for them, I’m sure.
Family recipes are the best! That recipe box is priceless!
I love family recipes! I’m so excited for you to get to go though them all and share!
What a treasure you have in that recipe box! These cookies look so delicious! A perfect treat for Mother’s Day!
Oh man, these look so good, and such simple ingredients! I have everything in the pantry. And what a treasure mine of a find in your mom’s recipe box!!
These cookies look delicious. I have my mom recipe box and love it. There were 8 of us and there was some wonderful cooking and baking happening.
I have been wanting something like this forever, my mom will love these!
Oh my gosh. I have been looking for this recipe forever. My mom used to make these and my sister and brothers and I would just gobble them up. When I got older and was away at college she would mail them to me and I would have to hide them from my roommates so they wouldn’t eat them all up! They are sooo yummy. The recipe was in a (very) old Betty Crocker cookbook my mom had when I was small that went by the wayside many years ago. Thank you for posting it!!
Brenda,
How great! I knew it must be an old recipe, but had no idea where it came from. I found it scribbled in my mom’s recipes, and used to make them all the time.
I’ve been craving these ever since I saw the photo. My sweet tooth won’t let me forget them! Thank you for sharing this with us. I love her recipe box with the handwritten recipes.
Dionne,
These cookies will take you RIGHT THERE to your happy place.
You must be like my children since their father is German and I’m Italian. These cookies sound so delicious and such a treat with tea. LOVE THAT recipe box! Full of so many goodies and memories!
So glad you were able to rescue your mom’s recipe box. It’s a treasure!
Cathy,
I agree, it is now a prized possession.
Your Mom looks like such a wonderful woman and the recipe collection looks like a box of treasures! Love the cookies!
Thank you, Serena. She is!
Simple yet delicious! The best cookies always are…
Shaina,
I agree. The simpler the cookie, the more I tend to like it.
Is collecting recipes really hoarding? How lucky for you to have a treasure trove of recipes from your mom! Oh, and these cookies look so scrumptious!
Your mom looks like a sweetheart, Dorothy, and I look forward to the treasures you find in her recipe box. Those Scotch tea cookies are wonderful!
Thanks, Stacy!
Those look like a great dessert or snack. Sounds like your mother taught you well!
David,
Oh yes, she did!
Dorothy,
your mother sounds fabulous!!! and that recipe box!!! so cool!!! I love that she kept everything. . and hello?! love the scotch tea cookies! Happy Mother’s Day to you!!!
Alice,
You NEED these cookies. Pronto.
Oh my gosh you know about fried mush? My dad LOVES fried mush! He grew up on it (His parents were Amish). I love that you have such a diverse background and taste in food though!
Courtney,
LOVE fried mush!
This sounds deliciously homey, gotta love it
Your mom is gorgeous and I love your treasure box of recipes from her!! These cookies look amazing and easy!! Happy Mother’s Day!!
Tara,
That box is golden!
Scotch tea cookies sounds very familiar. They are probably something my grandmother used to make – also Scotch/German background. I must give them a try.
Would you please send me a couple of those great cookies, Dorothy?! I love your Mom’s recipe box and am so excited for you to have it. Happy Mother’s Day.
Dorothy, your Mom is beautiful! I just love the recipe box. What a treasure. I’m saving your recipe, which I think I could make with success!
Gorgeous memories and a recipe to match, Dorothy =) Love that photo of your mom’s treasure trove of recipes…Undoubtedly she is very proud of how you’ve adopted her kitchen savvy.
Yum! My grandma has a recipe just like this but we make them a bit more flat. I’m so going to give this a go and try the difference in height. I’m sure they taste amazing.
I’m jealous of your giant recipe box. What an amazing resource?!? Oh, and these cookies – yum!
These cookies look so tasty!Love the recipe box and I bet there are some really amazing recipes in there
I love the recipe Box! I bet it is full of just wonderful recipes. Your Scotch Tea Cookies look just amazing! I would mind a few with my morning tea.
Seeing the recipe for pizzelles peeking out from the recipe box brings to mind my mother’s recipe box-and my own!
These look fantastic. I love the recipe box and can’t wait to see more recipes inspired by mom!
Thanks Krayl!
What terrific cookies, Dorothy!!! And thanks for letting me know I can blame my recipe hoarding on my mom
Happy Mother’s Day!
Liz,
Oh yeah, I like to assign blame!
Tasty looking cookies!!! What a lovely tribute to your mum!!! <3