"My Great Aunt Rose made a very good German cookie. In December of 1950 my Grandmother and Great Aunt Rose came to our home to make cookies. Aunt Rose didn't have a specific recipe written down at the time so that day my mother tried to estimate the amount of each ingredient that went into the dough in order to be able to duplicate the cookies in the future. That day we made two double batches (over 400 cookies!). Everyone liked them and so it became a tradition in my home to bake "Aunt Rose's Christmas Cookies" every year after that. When my brother went to France in 1961, my two sisters-in-law and myself helped my mother make these cookies to send to him. My niece, who was one year old then, sat in the high chair and played with a child's rolling pin and some dough too.

As the years passed, and more nieces and nephews came along (ten in all) our worktable was filled with many little hands. Each child would roll out the dough and cut out the cookies with help and direction from his or her mother. When the cookies were all baked, it was time to ice and decorate them. Sometimes more icing ended up on and in the children than on the cookies. As the children grew older as many as could be there still continues to participate in "Cookie Bake Day". They also became quite adept in decorating the cookies.

The dough is ideal for children's use because it is practically indestructible. It can be worked and reworked without damage. Now that my children and my nieces and nephews have children, "Cookie Bake Day" is carried to this generation. "

Note: Instead of the 1 lb. of mixed candies fruit, you can use: 8 oz. citron mixed with 4 oz. candied lemon peel and 8 oz. candied orange peel.

Dissolve baking soda and cream of tartar in water. Set aside. In a large pan, heat honey, butter and sugar until dissolved. Add spices, ground nuts, fruits and wine mixture, then add dissolved soda and cream of tartar. Stir well and cool a little. Start adding flour and mix until too stiff to mix by hand. Transfer to heavy-duty mixer fitted with dough hook and mix in the rest of the flour. Mix well. Divide dough into four or five portions. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until cool. (Dough may be kept in refrigerator up to one week.)

When ready to bake, bring dough to room temperature. Roll on lightly floured surface to approximately 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter dipped in flour. Put on non-stick cookie sheets. bake at 350°F. for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Cool on wire racks.

Ice cookies when cool. Mix all icing ingredients together until smooth. Ice cookies then sprinkle with colored sugar. slice of apple and they will soften.