Preheat the oven to 200ºC .

Mix all of the ingredients together, except for the flour.

Add the flour slowly to the rest of the mixture until it reaches the right consistency to roll out. The dough should be quite soft. (You may find it easier to knead it with your hands.)

Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1 cm and cut into decorative shapes with small cookie cutters, a sharp knife or the rim of a glass.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven while they are still soft and cool on a rack, then pack into crocks or jars.

The authors note that the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers made these at Thanksgiving and stored them in a stoneware crock until Christmas. The cookies can be made at any time, but allowed to age for 4-6 weeks.

They can be used as a substitute for graham crackers for a pie crust.