Dec 11
2008

Unforgettable Forgotten Cookies

in Dessert, Family, Food History, Fuji Favorites, Recipes by Type

This time of year makes me very nostalgic. That is probably why the holiday season is my absolute favorite time of year–it’s so rich with tradition and memories. Many of my memories are closely tied to my Grandmother and Oma (my great-grandmother) that I’ve written about before. This recipe for Forgotten Cookies is one that my mother made a lot when I was growing up. I remember begging her to make these cookies one year in elementary school for my birthday. (Did you take treats to your class on your birthday?) I recently asked my mom about the origins of the recipe, since we also have a very similar recipe that is my Oma’s recipe. My mom explained that it came from a Payson church cookbook (Payson is the little town in Utah that my mom grew up in) that my Grandmother had for years and gave to my mom when she was first married. My mom said that the recipes were printed on colored 4×6 cards, then strung together on metal rings. She kept a few recipes from it and threw the rest away. This cookie recipe is one of the ones she kept and the card says the recipe came from “Eddith Ockerman.” My mom says she never heard of her anywhere but on this card.
My mom started making these shortly after my Oma died in 1983, and before my mom had her recipe for Schaum Brötle (“little foam cookies”), a similar recipe (I’ll be sharing that recipe with you soon). My Oma’s Schaum Brötle were always my mom’s favorites of the mountains of cookies my Oma baked at Christmastime, and making these Forgotten Cookies reminded my mom of her.
I also love these cookies, but I warn you that they are highly addictive. The combination of crisp and light meringue that crumbles and melts on your tongue mixed with chocolate and nuts is wonderful. The batter works up quickly and you will have them in the oven in no time.
Although you have to exercise a lot of will power and “forget” about these for a few hours in the oven, it is so worth it, and the result is something you are unlikely to forget any time soon. Although we don’t know who Eddith Ockerman was, I think I would have liked her, because I love her recipe. When you taste these, you’ll be wanting to thank Eddith too.

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Fuji Nana’s Forgotten Cookies

2 egg whites
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
a couple drops of almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Beat egg whites till stiff. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat.

3. Blend other ingredients and drop on foiled cookie sheet.

4. Put cookies in preheated oven and then turn off the oven.

5. Forget till morning (or at least 6 hours). DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR.



Addendum:
I got very curious thinking about Eddith Ockerman and wondering who she was, so I googled her name to see what I could find. I found this obituary for Bonnie Marie Ockerman Christensen which says Bonnie was born in Payson, Utah to Harold Peter Ockerman and Eddith Loveless Ockerman! It’s got to be the same Eddith. How fun! My mom and I are dying to know if her granddaughters still make these cookies. It would be a shame if this wonderful recipe had been forgotten by her posterity!

{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }

Andrea December 11, 2008 at 10:59 am

These look just lovely! I love that they come from an old church cookbook and I just know we’d enjoy them. Plus, I usually have most of those things in my kitchen anyway. Thanks for sharing!

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AMAC1978 December 11, 2008 at 11:32 am

These are some wonderful cookies! My stepmother showed me how to make them a few years ago, she has a recipe that call them Angel Puffs. Whatever you call them, when you make them around me just call them all gone, they are definitely addictive.

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Jennifer December 11, 2008 at 12:27 pm

ooh what a fun recipe! I love that you have to forget them in the oven for so long. :) I’m going to make these tonight (If I have the almond extract) if not I will definetly pick some up to make them this week sometime! Thanks for the recipe!

P.S. I wonder if you can contact a grandaughter somehow. I’d like to know if they do still make these, I bet they’d love to read this post too!

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Bob December 11, 2008 at 4:35 pm

Looks good! I do enjoy cookies of all stripes. :)

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Sarah December 11, 2008 at 6:50 pm

You put the cookies in the preheated oven then turn the oven off– did I understand that correctly? Interesting– can’t wait to try them!

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Fuji Mama December 11, 2008 at 7:03 pm

Jennifer– My mom and I had the same thought! Wouldn’t it be fun to know whether or not her granddaughters were still making these?

Sarah–Yes, that’s correct! Pop them in the preheated oven, shut the door, and then turn off the heat!

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Lauren December 11, 2008 at 8:07 pm

I saw this recipe and had to comment. I have an old family recipe that is similar(no nuts or almond oil and I’m pretty sure there’s more sugar in ours!), so I thought I’d add a tip that my family has found out; these are best made on a cool, dry night! The less humidity in the air, the better. This has turned out to be very important since we moved down to Florida; trying to make these in the summertime is near impossible, they fall and get very very chewy.

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Fuji Mama December 11, 2008 at 8:09 pm

Thanks Lauren! Definitely something to keep in mind with any meringue recipe. Though this one is pretty hardy. I made it in Memphis and in Tokyo (both humid places) without problems. They tend to not last as long though in humid weather.

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K and S December 12, 2008 at 1:32 am

That would be so cool if you could meet them!

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Pra December 12, 2008 at 3:04 am

FujiMama, I read your blog yesterday and just had to try your brown sugar shortbread. Loved it and it was gone in no time!!
And I dont even have a proper oven! I made them in the microwave :). Was in a mood to experiment so just whipped them up. I still have their taste in my mouth and the recipe is for keeps! Thanx so much for it!

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Fuji Mama December 12, 2008 at 7:19 am

Thanks Pra! I was excited too to find that recipe! Good isn’t it?

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Fuji Mama December 12, 2008 at 7:20 am

K and S– SO fun! We’ll actually be heading up that direction for the holidays. Hmmmm…maybe a little detective work is in order?

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Bill December 12, 2008 at 8:49 am

I made the cookies last night and then this morning I couldn’t get them off of the foil. And of course the cookies are so delicate that they broke as I gently tried to peel them off. Do you spray an oil on the foil to reduce sticking or did I just get a sticky batch?

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Fuji Mama December 13, 2008 at 9:14 am

Bill– I have never had this problem, so I honestly don’t know the answer! I called my mom (because she’s been made them about a million times more than I have) and she also said she’s never had the problem either! We came up with 2 ideas– (1) Try using nonstick foil, or (2) You could use the method used in the other meringue cookie I’ll be featuring next week (that of my Oma) which has you grease and lightly flour a cookie sheet. Sorry about the trouble! :-(

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Melanie Gray Augustin December 14, 2008 at 8:00 pm

Mmmm… yum! I think, one day in the future, I’m going to come and camp out at your place for Christmas! All these yummy Christmas goodies you’re making!

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Fuji Mama December 15, 2008 at 3:58 pm

Melanie– You have an open invitation! Any time you’d like to come we would LOVE to have you! :-)

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Anonymous December 18, 2008 at 8:30 am

Best cookies EVER. Thank you for the recipe!
I had to take an extra batch to the office today. Got them hooked.

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Fuji Mama December 18, 2008 at 8:34 am

Anonymous–I’m so glad you liked them, and glad that you shared the addictive yumminess! :-)

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Carol Ann Osburn October 5, 2010 at 10:28 pm

I was raised in Payson, Utah and remember Eddith Okerman well; in fact, we were related. She lived in the house my great-grandfather, Parley Pratt Loveless built. My Payson grandmother was Chloe Ann Loveless Tilson. I was so happy to hear that Eddith’s cookies are still being made and enjoyed today.

Carol Ann Davis Osburn
San Jose, California

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Lisa October 7, 2010 at 6:09 pm

Eddith was my great grandmother, and Bonnie was my grandmother. It is a blessing we came upon this, being that we DON’T have this recipe- but we are all so excited to have it! Thank you so much for posting! Ahh, the positive wonders of the internet!

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Laura October 8, 2010 at 3:38 pm

This is so fun! I’m Eddith’s great granddaughter too (Lisa’s sister, actually). I’m going to make these this weekend and post on my blog. I hope to post pictures of us and Eddith as well.

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Carol Ann Osburn October 12, 2010 at 5:45 pm

I hope you get this. My computer said it needed to compact data. When it got through. it had taken away all of my e-mails from 26 October 2009 to 12 October 2010 including your e-mail message and address. I am so upset and don’t know how to get them back.

I tracked down Rebecca Durham, Bonnie Okerman’s daughter and Eddith Loveless Ockerman’s granddaughter. She was touched about you making her grandmother’s cookies. She is married to a professor at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
If you could send me a text message, I will forward her e-mail that includes a photo of Eddith Okerman.

Carol Ann Osburn

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Susan December 16, 2011 at 3:51 am

Hi,
I am going to a Chrismtas Cookie Exchange party and need to make 4 dozen cookies. I want to make your Forgotten Cookies, they look delicious. How many cookies does your receipe make and how much batter do you drop on the cookie sheet, ie. inch etc.
Thanks so much, can’t wait to try these.
Susan

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Mark October 23, 2020 at 5:28 am

I always like to try new cookie recipes. This recipe looks quite unique! How many cookies does the recipe make? Can I double the recipe? Would it be advised to put “two” cookie sheets in the oven on different racks? Thank you very much!

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