SMUCKER'S® ANNOUNCES THE 2004 COOKIE CLASSIC
Chef and Cookbook Author Dede Wilson Updates Five Classic Holiday Cookies; Survey Finds Cut-out Cookies are among America's Favorites
ORRVILLE, OH (December 2, 2004) – To kick-off the holiday baking season, the makers of Smucker's®, America's number one brand of jams, jellies and preserves, have teamed up with Dede Wilson, chef and author of "A Baker's Field Guide to Christmas Cookies," to update classic holiday cookie recipes.
"Family recipes are passed on from generation to generation, and are often updated and tweaked over the years by creative home bakers," said Maribeth Badertscher, communications manager, The J.M. Smucker Company. "Everyone loves family favorites, and updating recipes with new ingredients and your own personal style is a fun way to create new memories and traditions."
Home bakers nationwide shared their favorite holiday baking stories on the Smucker's Web site. Thousands submitted stories illustrating the joy of passing on family recipes from one generation to the next. From making and decorating cookies with grandma, to baking a variety of cookies to share with local soup kitchens, baking during the holidays is one of the season's most memorable moments.
"One of my fondest holiday memories is of gathering in the kitchen, usually for a full day or more, to bake dozens and dozens of cookies with my mother," recalls Wilson. "Gingerbread was a favorite, as were Thumbprint cookies and elegant meringues with chocolate and nuts. Today we have access to exotic spices, various flavors of jam, better chocolates and higher quality cookie sheets, which means our cookies come out better than ever. Another aspect I love is that the definition of what a holiday cookie is varies from family to family and that is how it should be. We can all create our own memories and traditions when baking with friends and family."
While tried-and-true family recipes will always have a special place at the holiday table, a recent consumer survey commissioned by The J.M. Smucker Company and conducted by Harris
Interactive found that when it comes to eating or baking holiday cookies, nearly two-thirds
(65 percent) of U.S. adults look forward to trying new cookies and almost half (49 percent) like to update old recipes or try new cookie recipes each year.
To add to the repertoire of home bakers everywhere, Wilson has updated the top five holiday cookies chosen by survey respondents. Half (50 percent) of the respondents chose sugar
or cut-out cookies as one of their favorites, followed by shortbread/butter cookies (46 percent), peanut butter kiss cookies (36 percent), gingerbread cookies (30 percent), and pecan
balls (29 percent). The survey also found that nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of U.S. adults like jelly-filled cookies and prefer strawberry (28 percent) or raspberry (20 percent) over other flavors.
Wilson's updated recipes are sure to inspire home bakers to participate in the cookie craze sweeping kitchens across the nation---cookie swapping. Armed with creative new recipes, cookie swappers will impress each other, friends and family throughout the holiday season.
Following are the top five classic cookies updated by Dede Wilson. For full recipes and additional holiday ideas, visit www.smuckers.com.
Jam Filled Pecan Snowballs
The dough for these buttery cookies is easy to make in the food processor. They are covered with a snowy dusting of powdered sugar and filled with your favorite flavor of Smucker's jam or jelly.
Shortbread Jamwiches
Spread your favorite flavor of Smucker's jam or jelly between these rich and buttery shortbread cookies. This recipe makes a lot of cookies so there will be plenty on hand for the holidays.
Gingerbread People
These are spicy, crisp gingerbread cookies. Make a hole in each cookie, if desired, so that you can hang them on the tree with a length of ribbon. Make sure your spices are fresh for best results.
Peppermint Pinwheels
This recipe is a twist on the ever-popular sugar cookie. These are "refrigerator" cookies that you can store in the freezer until needed, then just slice and bake.
Peanut Blossoms
These peanut butter cookies have a chocolate treat nestled in the center.
About The J.M. Smucker Company
The J.M. Smucker Company (www.smuckers.com) was founded in 1897 when the Company's namesake and founder sold his first product -- apple butter -- from the back of a horse-drawn wagon. Today, over a century later, the Company is the market leader in fruit spreads, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, and health and natural foods beverages in North America under such icon brands as Smucker's®, Jif® and Crisco®. In June 2004, the Company expanded its family of products to include such brands as Pillsbury® baking mixes and ready-to-spread frostings; Hungry Jack® pancake mixes, syrups and potato side dishes, and Martha White® baking mixes and ingredients in the US, along with Robin Hood® flour and baking mixes, and Bick's® pickles and condiments in Canada. For over 107 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, and has been family run for four generations. The J. M. Smucker Company was recognized as the top company in FORTUNE Magazine's 2003 annual survey of The 100 Best Companies to Work For and has ranked consistently in the top 25 companies each year since FORTUNE began the list in 1998. The J.M. Smucker Company has over 4,500 employees worldwide and distributes products in more than 45 countries.
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