A candy roaster is a type of squash once grown widely in Appalachia that is making a sort of modern comeback. It is an orange pink color and cylindrical in shape. The flesh of a cane roaster is like that of a pumpkin, only it has a richer, sweeter taste.
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 1⅓ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cooked candy roaster
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- 2½ cups self-rising flour
Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs one at a time mixing well after each. Add candy roaster, vanilla, lemon rind, lemon juice, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add raisins and nuts. Mix well. Add flour and mix until combined. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. The cookies spread as they cook so keep that in mind. These cookies are so good, every bite is like a taste of fall.
TP
—Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food written by Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley
We grew several candy roasters this year. I worked up one of them last week and couldn’t resist making a run of candy roaster cookies. Every bite is indeed a taste of fall. Two things made the cookies especially nice: the cooler temperatures that have moved into our area and Woodrow discovering he loved Mamaw’s cookies.
Last night’s video: Our Gardens Are Still Feeding Us.
Tipper
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I bet your kitchen smelled amazing baking those cookies!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. We call them sweet tater squash. I’ve never made cookies with them, always pies or casseroles, but they sound delicious so I have kept the recipe. Best of all they’re Woodrow approved!!
You make me want a pumpkin or candy roaster pie. My favorite pies are: apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan. Line those four up side by side and give me the choice of any one – that would be hard. But notice that 3 of 4 are fall items. Hmmmm candy roaster slots right in there with them. I shouldn’t be surprised if it edged out pumpkin in line but I ended up with 5 favorite pies. Sounds like there might need to be a Candy Roaster Revival. A real good place to start would be in all those Appalachian Fall Festivals. And I’d love to find one with old timey apple varieties.
What a wonderful new tradition, cookies with Mamaw!! That is so sweet. I just found a candy roaster a week ago at a Farmer’s Market when we were visiting out N. Eastern NC. It is on my agenda to roast it today. I cannot decide to simply roast it for dinner or to put in your candy roaster pie or cookie recipe!!
Nothing to do with squash or cookies but with grandmothers. My paternal grandmother made the best banana bread I have ever ate. We lived beside of my maternal grandmother, she made the best bread pudding and cakes. Her cakes were true oldtime cakes made completely from scratch. Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines were not allowed in her house! She would let me lick/eat with a spoon the cake batter pan and threatened me with bodily harm if I ran through the house and made her cake fall! Today they say doing this was supposed to kill me. She passed away in 1968 when I was 14.
Randy,
I love how you talk about your grandmother’s baking and cooking. I loved the way my grandmother’s did things too. My paternal grandmother made the best fried chicken with mashed taters and chicken gravy. She would always put extra crunchies in the chicken gravy for me. So so good; make your tongue slap your brains out. My maternal grandmother made the best fried taters I’ve ever eaten. Always fried in lard, so good! I try to do everything the way my momma and grandmothers did, but I could never match their talents. I’m a good cook, but theirs always tasted so much better. My proudest cooking moment was in my early 20s and I made cornmeal gravy for my papaw and he went on how good it was. In my mind that was worth more than pure gold, still is!!
These look delicious Tipper and for sure a taste of Fall. I also think chocolate chips would go well in place of raisins – or even both? Anything homemade just seems to make everything all right in a day, but cookies for sure.
Like with any squash of that kind, save the seeds, not just for planting, but to roast them as well! Something savory to go along with something sweet, from the same plant (this, after you had previously already cooked the blossoms too!)
Those cookies look delicious! I’m certain lil Woodrow enjoyed maw maws cookies because EVERYTHING grandmas make is the BEST PERIOD!!! I remember being 3 or so and all I wanted was to be with my “mommy and Bobby” my beloved paternal grandparents. I recall hatching a plan to cry continuously thereby making my baby sister cry continuously as well. It must’ve worked cause I remember my aunt calling my grandparents BEGGING for her daddy to come get us at her house in Roanoke. (See I was listening to this.) Bobby said I held his hand patting it all the way to Bluefield. I knew where I wanted to be even then. Now I’m 59 and mommy and Bobby have both been dead going on half my life or better. In all my life I never loved or longed for anybody like I do them. I never realized just what I had-the very best of the best. I surely miss mommy and her big fat molasses cookies and her homemade sweet cakes. Id love to hear her singing one more time. I’d give 300$ to have a plate of her fried chicken and gravy. Oh my heart longs to hug and hold my grandparents again…they were better to me than anybody ever has been or could be…
That does look like a delicious recipe! How sweet that Woodrow loved them! The vibrant colors and cooler air have me in the mood for all things fall. Yesterday my brother and his family spent the day with us and we made a bonfire and sat outside. Such a special time of year.
I grew a few candy roasters approximately 5 years ago. I’m saddened to say I only used one of them because they were new to me and wasn’t entirely sure what all to do with them. I’m already planning on giving them another shot next year. Since joining your blog and YouTube channel I’ve learned so many things from you and other subscribers. I also purchased your cookbook and just love reading through it along with trying some recipes along the way. I don’t think there’s anything more rewarding than baking your grandkid’s favorites…unless it’s your great granddaughter greatly enjoying your efforts ♡ Little Hazeleigh turned 15 months on 9/26 & that little nugget voices her appreciation with lots of mmmmmm’s when eating Glammy’s baked goods (or anything else I offer!) Hopefully, besides mowing this week before the rain starts, I’ll get most of the garden spot cleared off. It was 49° here this morning as I was feeding the kitty boys on the back porch. I slept so good with my window cracked overnight. Blessings to my fellow Acorns, their family & friends. Happy to report my great nephew, Carson, is doing better and enjoyed lunch with his grandma this past Friday. Thank you for your prayers ♡
Sure looks good. Im sure the boys love everything you cook for them!
They look yummy! I’ve never had a candy roaster, but if I come across one at the store I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the recipe! I’m loving this beautiful fall weather!
Mamaws make the best cookies!
That is a good recipe. Two years ago I made it with pumpkin instead of candy roaster since we don’t have any and it was very good.