• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) logo

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Cooking Contest Experiences
  • Tina’s Recipes
  • QVC Demo Recipes
  • Tasty Travels
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Recipe Roots™ – Grandma Appolonia’s Travel Cookies

July 12, 2013 by Tina Verrelli 21 Comments
Modified December 4, 2020 at 3:40 pm

Thanks for Sharing!

419 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Our Favorite Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies!

I just love recipes with some history.  When you make them, it feels like you are connecting to the past and sharing traditions with the future.  I’m going to share some legendary family recipes with you in a series called Recipe Roots™ – Great recipes worth digging up and sharing!

 Grandma Appolonia (on left) on a white water rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, 1963, at age 68.

Grandma Appolonia (on left) on a white water rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, 1963, at age 68.

First up, are Grandma Appolonia’s Travel Cookies!  Grandma Appolonia or “Lonia” as she was called, was my Dad’s mother and I used to love visiting her apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She was a widow and used to babysit for some wealthy families to earn money to travel.  She had amassed a great collection of travel souvenirs on her adventures and I can remember oogling them all!  I’m sure she loved when all six of us came and touched her stuff with our sticky little fingers!

When Lonia would come from Ohio to visit us in Pennsylvania (12+ hours on a Greyhound Bus – yikes!), she would often make these sugar cookies on her visit.  Now, we were a large family and I don’t recall having cookies and treats around very often, so when they did appear, they wouldn’t last long!  In an attempt to make the cookies last until dessert time, Lonia would hide them in my Mom’s roasting pan.  My brothers caught on to that hiding trick pretty quickly and would hunt down that old roaster no matter where she had tucked it away.

 Mom's roasting pan AKA the Travel Cookie hiding spot.

Mom’s roasting pan AKA the Travel Cookie hiding spot.

Those cookies became the treat we would bring with us in the big ol’ family station wagon on the long treks to visit family in Cincinnati.  Eventually, they became our “travel cookies.”  The travel cookies are still made frequently.  They are my go to sugar cookie for any season.  I just add some sprinkles to match to the occasion.  My girls love to help make them!  When the family gets together for Christmas, I still have to hide them or they would disappear before dessert!

I’ve spent some time trying to figure out the exact origins of the recipe, but I haven’t come up with anything.  The recipe from my Mom’s recipe box (below) appears to be clipped out of a magazine.  The recipe has to be at least 40 years old.  I’d love to know what magazine it comes from.  If you recognize it, let me know!

 Recognize this recipe from anywhere? 

Recognize this recipe from anywhere?

Grandma Appolonia’s Travel Cookies:

These are my favorite sugar cookies!  They are buttery, soft and have great vanilla flavor.  Grandma Appolonia always added a little white icing to the top of them.  I find it really keeps the cookies moist!  The icing is just a simple combination of a tiny bit of butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk.  Keeping the butter amount small helps the icing firm up a little bit on the outside.  You still have to be gentle when packing them up as the icing does not totally harden as royal icing would.

Make the Cookie Dough:

Cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add your dry ingredients.

Form the Cookies:

Scoop and roll balls of dough.  Butter the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass.  Dip the glass in some sugar.  Use the glass to flatten the cookie balls.  Bake your cookies!

Make the Icing:

Beat together butter, vanilla, confectioner’s sugar and milk.

Ice the Cookies:  Video

You can swirl the icing on by hand or you can pipe it on.  I find the piping to be quicker.  I just use a Wilton disposable pastry bag and snip off the end.  I start around the edge and swirl inward.  Add your sprinkles after icing a few cookies as the outer part of the icing tends to firm up quickly.

Thanks for spending some time in the cloud with me!

 I hope you like the story and recipe!   Tina ( :

Grandma Appolonia’s “Travel” Cookies

These are my favorite sugar cookies!  They are buttery, soft and have great vanilla flavor.  Grandma Appolonia always added a little white icing to the top of them.
Tina Verrelli – epicuricloud.com
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookie, Dessert
Servings: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened (plus extra for greasing pan and glass)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (plus extra for flattening cookies)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Icing:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 cups confectioners’ sugar 
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. This will take several minutes – it should be fluffy and lighter in color.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.
  • Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
  • Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.  
  • Place the balls 2-inches apart on greased baking sheets. (I use the shiny half-sheet pans)
  • Butter the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass.  Spread some sugar on a small plate.  
  • Dip the buttered glass in the sugar and use to press down on the cookie balls.  
  • Hold the glass level and press until the cookie is a little thicker than a 1/4-inch.  Repeat until all the balls are flattened.
  • Bake the cookies for 7-12 minutes or until just golden around the edges.  Time may vary depending on oven.
  • Let cool on baking sheet 1-minute before removing to cooling rack.

Icing:

  • In large bowl, beat together butter, vanilla, 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar and 1/4 cup milk. 
  • Gradually add more sugar and milk until you reach desired consistency.
  • If you want to ice the cookies by hand, make a little thicker like peanut butter.
  • If you want to pipe the icing on the cookies, make a little thinner like ketchup. (I used the exact measurements for the icing I piped on my cookies.) 

Notes

Cookie Baking Tips: I use shiny metal cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  If you use darker colored cookie sheets you may want to drop your oven temperature by 25 degrees.  Darker baking pans get hotter. Cookie scoops are handy for portioning the cookie dough for even cookies.  You can even weigh the cookie dough balls with a kitchen scale.  For 3 1/2-inch diameter cookies, I made each dough ball 1 1/2 ounces and flattened them to about a 3-inch diameter. (1 batch made 2 1/2 dozen cookies.) I bake my cookies 1 tray at a time and make sure the cookie sheet is cool each time.  It’s helpful to have several cookie sheets you can rotate.  
Tried this recipe?Share it! Tag @epicuricloud – Please Leave A Comment & Rating Below! TY!

Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday Recipes, Lunch Box Ideas, Recipe Roots, School Treats, Vegetarian Tagged With: icing, piping icing, recipe roots, sugar cookies, travel cookies

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. joanne

    July 12, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    Another heartfelt posting .Love the recipe and the story, the roasting pan is a keeper !! Fun picture of you, Brett and the CakeSpy- that is one busy girl. BTW Grandma last Christmas gave each of us a cookbook she put together with all the favorite family recipes. What a treasure !! Keep up the wonderful postings. Love your creativity and endless talent !!

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      July 14, 2013 at 2:52 pm

      Thanks so much Joanne – I appreciate your support and kind words!! I bet that cookbook is full of the best recipes!! You are right, what a treasure!!

      Reply
  2. Tom

    July 13, 2013 at 1:50 am

    I remember grandmom telling us "the one you touch is the one you take". We touched them all…haha!

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      July 14, 2013 at 2:53 pm

      Lol!! Yes, we’ll never forget that rule!! Love it!! Thanks for having me out for the honey extraction!! That post will be coming up next!!

      Reply
      • Barbara Munnelly

        October 13, 2019 at 2:54 pm

        Can’t wait to try the Travel cookie recipe. My son recently requested that I compile a family recipe cookbook so our fantastic family recipes don’t get lost forever.

        Reply
        • Christina Verrelli

          October 14, 2019 at 4:38 pm

          Hi Barbara! Love that! I totally agree – so very important to preserve our special recipes!

          Reply
  3. Camilla

    July 13, 2013 at 2:02 am

    Love the story here, Tina–and I cannot wait to make these cookies! My husband loves uncluttered cookies (most of mine are loaded with all sorts of things) and he is very nostalgic about sugar cookies. These sound wonderful! Love the pic with Brett!

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      July 14, 2013 at 2:55 pm

      Thanks so much Camilla!! I hope your husband loves them ( :

      Reply
  4. Maryann R

    July 18, 2013 at 6:19 am

    Tina, I love your concept of "Recipe Roots"…such a beautiful story and recipe for Grandma Appolonia’s Travel Cookies. How wonderful to catalogue treasured recipes along with their treasured creators!

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      July 23, 2013 at 3:33 am

      Thanks so much Maryann!! I love making sure these recipes are saved & shared!

      Reply
  5. Nancy Hillen

    July 23, 2013 at 1:38 am

    Tina, these are hands down my favorite cookie! I’m so glad you chose to share this recipe, what great memories of Grandma hiding the “Travel Cookies” in the old roasting pan. And so much fun to see the photo of Grandma on her rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. I cannot wait to see what’s nest . . .

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      July 23, 2013 at 3:33 am

      Thanks Nan!! So glad u found the picture for me!!

      Reply
  6. Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry!

    July 25, 2013 at 11:58 pm

    I love love LOVE the video! So cool! It is definitely helpful to see the techniques performed with video instead of just pictures or words to demonstrate. Nice job! These cookies look so good!!

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      August 26, 2013 at 1:18 am

      Thanks Kristin – been experimenting with little videos. I think they def. can demonstrate some things much easier than with words!

      Reply
  7. Jim Hillen (middle bro)

    July 26, 2013 at 3:26 am

    Always volunteered to wash the dinner dishes and raid the sugar cookie stash. Hee..hee..

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      August 26, 2013 at 1:16 am

      Hey Jimbo!! I bet you had a motive to your dishwashing duty!! Smart cookie you are!! ( :

      Reply
  8. Lynne Laino

    December 18, 2014 at 1:50 am

    I love this sweet post. Your grandmother sounds like such special lady, thanks for sharing your story and her cookie recipe! (they are very pretty too)>

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      January 2, 2015 at 9:06 pm

      Thanks Lynne! Love those special family recipes ( :

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. QVC Demo Recipes: 2/17/19 TSV Day | epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) says:
    February 15, 2019 at 7:25 am

    […] Sugar Cookies […]

    Reply
  2. QVC Demo Recipes: Sunday 10/13/19 Today's Special Value Day! | epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) says:
    October 12, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    […] Sugar Cookies – Grandma Appolonia’s “Travel Cookies” […]

    Reply
  3. QVC Demo Recipes: Sunday 3/8/20 ITKWD Show | epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) says:
    March 8, 2020 at 11:06 am

    […] Sugar Cookies (Grandma Appolonia’s Travel Cookies) […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to QVC Demo Recipes: Sunday 3/8/20 ITKWD Show | epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to epicuricloud!

Hi I'm Tina, Mom-Teacher-Foodie-Recipe Creator

On-Air Guest for KitchenAid on QVC

EPICURI: Foodie, passion for food and drink.
CLOUD: A sharing place.
Love to share my recipes here! Join me!

Read More…

Search

KitchenAid on QVC Calendar:

There are no upcoming events.

View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Dinner & Lunch Recipes:

Shiitake, Ginger & Pork Pot Sticker Soup

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef Hash and Eggs

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef: 2 meals in 1

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons & Prosciutto Crisps Recipe (+ Vegan Version)

Empanada Party: 4 Fillings + 3 Sauces = YUM!

PB & Fluff Push Pops (Just a Quick Idea)

Warm Farro Salad w/ Grilled Flank Steak

All-Time Favorite Recipes:

Parmesan Herb Cloud Bread

Steamy Blender Alfredo Sauce and Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Sweet Potato and Bacon Mini Frittatas

Focaccia bread in 13 x 9 x 2 metal pan topped with rosemary and coarse salt, slices cut and stacked

Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Pineapple and Banana “Frozen Yogurt”

Warm Butternut Squash & Black Bean Salsa

Grilled Buffalo Shrimp and Grilled Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Peanut Butter and Banana “Barkies” (Dog Cookies)

Pet Treat Recipes:

Homemade Dog Waffles – “Woofles”

Purr-fect Kitty Salmon Treats

Ruff, Ruff Truffles: Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Doggie Biscuits

Meow-ums Kitty Crackers

“gnaw, gnaw” Biscuits: Teeth Tamers for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Cockatiel Seed “Tweets”

Peanut Butter and Banana “Barkies” (Dog Cookies)

Recipe & Post Archives

  • May 2022 (1)
  • April 2022 (4)
  • March 2022 (1)
  • February 2022 (1)
  • January 2022 (3)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • October 2021 (3)
  • September 2021 (1)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • July 2021 (3)
  • June 2021 (4)
  • May 2021 (5)
  • April 2021 (3)
  • March 2021 (3)
  • February 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (2)
  • November 2020 (3)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (4)
  • July 2020 (2)
  • June 2020 (6)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (4)
  • March 2020 (6)
  • February 2020 (6)
  • January 2020 (6)
  • December 2019 (4)
  • November 2019 (4)
  • October 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • June 2019 (5)
  • May 2019 (5)
  • April 2019 (6)
  • March 2019 (4)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • September 2014 (1)
  • August 2014 (1)
  • August 2013 (1)

Tina’s Recipe Categories

Appetizer BBQ sides Beef Blender Recipe bread Breakfast Breakfast & Brunch Brunch cake chicken Chopper Recipes Christmas Cocktails / Beverages Condiment Cookies Cooking for A Crowd Dessert Desserts for a Crowd Dinner / Lunch Dressing Easter food adventure Fourth of July Halloween Holiday Recipes Lunch Box Ideas Pasta Pet Treats QVC Demo Links by Date QVC Recipe salad Salads / Sides / Vegetables Sauce Sauces & Condiments School Treats Side Dish Snacks Soup Spring Foods summer foods Thanksgiving Uncategorized Vegetables Vegetarian yeast dough

Footer

 

Subscribe via Email!




Copyright © 2022 epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli)

419 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Yummly
  • Email