I began making these back in the late 70’s. When Jason, my oldest son went off to A & M, I remember sending a shoebox full of these to him. Apparently lots of moms did that and they came to be known as shoebox cookies. This recipe came from a niece, who use to ask me to make them when she came over. She loved them so much, she ended up writing the recipe in my old spiral notebook that I still have today.
Combine the following in a big mixing bowl:
2 cups sugar
1 cup Crisco (I used 1/2 cup Crisco and 1 stick butter)
2 eggs, room temp
1 cup buttermilk
2 teas vanilla
4 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teas salt
2 teas baking soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water.
Mix all ingredients above until thoroughly mixed well. Drop by tables onto baking sheet. (I didn’t grease mine as it is coated, if you are not using a coated sheet of parchment paper, I would lightly grease the baking sheet.)
Bake at 400 for about 8-10 min. Cookies have a cake like consistency so when almost completely firm to the touch, take out. Do not over bake.
Cook on paper towels or cookie racks and make frosting.
Beat 2 egg whites which are at room temp; add 4 tables flour, 2 teas vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar.
Mix well and add 4 table milk, 1 cup Crisco (once again, I used 1/2 cup Crisco and 1/2 cup butter) and 2 cups more powdered sugar.
When cookies are completely cool, frost the bottom of a cookie and top with a 2nd cookie, making them a Whoopie Pie.
Delicious and easy to mail. Keep covered in container or freeze in bags.
Chocolate Castles as wel 