By Kevin Williams
Processed, prepackaged foods enjoyed a wide following in Amish homes beginning with the convenience food boom of the 1950s. Boxed cereals, spreads, Velveeta, canned soups, and more became common, to the surprise of many outsiders. These foods are still popular among middle-aged and older Amish and while the younger ones still use them there seems to be a definite turn away from them among younger Amish who are finding health benefits in returning to their culinary roots of all scratch-made and homegrown foods.
While canned soups and spreads grew in popularity among the Amish, packaged baked goods never really did make inroads into the Amish much. There are just too many talented bakers among the Amish and home-baking is infused with such cultural significance.
Still, the Amish are aware of things like store-bought Twinkies, etc and some inventive Amish bakers have endeavored to “copycat” the recipes at home. I thought I’d share some of those with you today. I though it would be a good day to do so since I was already reminiscing about favorite snack cakes.
AMISH TWINKIES – Go ahead and make this amazing one!
AMISH SWISS ROLL BARS: These don’t really resemble the store-bought Swiss Roll bars in looks, but you get the same cream-chocolate effect. Click here for this amazing recipe.
HOMEMADE LITTLE DEBBIES: An Amish woman in Ohio sent me a recipe for “homemade Little Debbies”, now that’s a pretty darn broad term. I have a vague memory of seeing “homemade little debbies” in Amish bakery years ago. Here is the recipe, have at it!
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup Crisco
- 3 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups quick oats
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 c flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- FILLING
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 c powdered sugar
- 1½ c Crisco
- 5 Tbsp flour
- 4 Tbsp milk
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cream together sugar with the butter and shortening..
- Add eggs beating well, add vanilla and dry ingredients and beat together.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes until done but soft.
- FILLING:
- Beat egg whites (reserving yolks for another recipe) then once fluffy add vanilla and milk.
- Beat in powdered sugar, shortening and flour.
- Beat until light and frosting like.
- Once cookies are cool frost one and sandwich with another one
AMAZING – HOMEMADE ZINGERS – Okay, wow, this isn’t an Amish recipe, but I never dreamt there was such a thing as homemade zingers. This one is definitely on my list to try. Click here for the recipe.
