looking for this old raisin cookie

I've been trying to find a type of old fashioned cookie that consisted of two very flat wafers with raisin filling in between. They came in flat sheets maybe 3"x5" and were only about 1/8" thick. Golden in color and pricked with a few small holes on top like a pie shell.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

That sounds like something my mother used to buy. Have you tried a local bakery, or the bakery section of the grocery store? I don't mean to be condescending - I just say this because as I recall, it was something she bought from the bakery or bakery section - it wasn't necessarily a mass-produced, pre-packaged cookie. It was more of a pastry.

Actually, the cookie I'm describing came in a yellow/gold package with red and blue writing. It had maybe 10 of the flat cookies in it. They were, as I remember, slightly chewey and not real sweet, and the 'pastry' was kind of dry. We used to get them at Great Scott and Chatham supermarkets in the Detroit area.

The bakery might be a possibility, thanx :-)

Oh, sorry. But you might try a bakery anyway, they may have a close version.

Now that I think about it, I think the ones my mother used to get came in different flavors too - pineapple rings a bell - but I definitely remember the raisin ones.

Raisin bars were made by Sunshine & are no loger available in groceries. However, you can still get them from Vermont Country store. http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=31689&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=raisin

quote:

Originally posted by jvsmom

Oh, sorry. But you might try a bakery anyway, they may have a close version.

Now that I think about it, I think the ones my mother used to get came in different flavors too - pineapple rings a bell - but I definitely remember the raisin ones.

I remember the cookie very well. You had to break each cookie off the sheet. The cookie itself had a shiny surface sort of like it was coated with a slightly sweet substance. Don't remember the pineapple version. Can't recall what they were called either which will probably drive me nuts. I'll probably post at 2:00 a.m. when it comes to me. Those were good cookies.

quote:

Originally posted by ocdreamr

Raisin bars were made by Sunshine & are no loger available in groceries. However, you can still get them from Vermont Country store. http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=31689&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=raisin

Thank you so much for the info ocdreamr.
Yes, it was Sunshine brand I was thinking of.

I was just poking around online a bit more and came across a post that suggested that a similar product from Australia can be found at Trader Joe's stores!

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/shopenglandonline_1884_593559

Quote" The Garibaldi biscuit is unlike any other, and as such commands a unique position in the biscuit world. "
LOL

http://store.shopenglandonline.com/crgabicaof12.html
Note, they ship from Greensboro, NC..

Yes, that's the Crawford Garabaldi one :-) ...



Regarding the Australian ones alleged to be carried by Trader Joe's stores ... I just called my local Trader Joes (near Detroit) ... they discontinued carrying them
Oh well, back to a local search for the Crawford product ...

I also see on the Keebler web page, a list of discontinued items, and they list a raisin bicuit there.
http://brands.keebler.com/about/faq_prod.jsp?menuOpen=3#

Ok, now I know what you're talking about. I was thinking of something different. The ones I remember were quite a bit thicker - maybe half an inch or so, and the sides weren't enclosed. The filling must have been mixed with some type of gelatin or something, and the top and bottom were actual pie crust. But they were bigger - like a 3-inch square.

What I mean is, in a nutshell, nevermind.

They were Sunshine "Golden Raisin" bars and they were good. And they are gone, baby.

Hey, thanks for reminding me !

SUNSHINE Raisin Biscuits...now it all comes back...too bad they're gone, but the current (joke - they're really CURRANTS) made-in-Holland-sold-thru-England-to-US-and-Canada/France version of Crawford's Garibaldi products can be had for $2.10/package at:

http://www.britishdelights.com/misc_biscuits.htm
Email: sales@britishdelights.com
63 Power Road Unit 2 Unit D
Westford
MA 01886
978-392-0077
10am-6pm EST Mon-Fri
Email: sales@britishdelights.net

which will save you almost a buck, opposed to the afore mentioned:

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/jump.jsp?itemID=10809&itemType=PRODUCT&sourceid=CJ&siteid=0&cjsku=H2924

at 5 pkgs. for $14.99 (= $2.99 each)no smaller quantity available.

Not quite the SUNSHINE taste, a little dryer...
But they're ALMOST as good, esp. with a cold beer.

Just so you know, you crazy old raisin cookie people.

Mike

I loved those cookies and have been looking for them like crazy! Thanks for the info!

quote:

Originally posted by Sonny Funzio

I've been trying to find a type of old fashioned cookie that consisted of two very flat wafers with raisin filling in between. They came in flat sheets maybe 3"x5" and were only about 1/8" thick. Golden in color and pricked with a few small holes on top like a pie shell.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Ate 900

quote:

Originally posted by Sonny Funzio

I've been trying to find a type of old fashioned cookie that consisted of two very flat wafers with raisin filling in between. They came in flat sheets maybe 3"x5" and were only about 1/8" thick. Golden in color and pricked with a few small holes on top like a pie shell.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

My dad worked for Sunshine Bisquits for 27 years. Man, did we get the free goods. I took free stuff to school all the time. I was popular had lots of friends. Especially at homeroom. Between 1950 - 1977 I ate 900 of these packages. Of the entire product which was about 250 products, I liked about 12 of them and Golden Raisin bars was one of them.

I have looked for these cookies for years. I loved those when I was little. My mom used to get them at the A&P supermarket. Thanks for the information. I didn't know what they were actually called.

I'm glad the thread was helpful! I still haven't managed to buy any myself, but it's only a matter of time :-)

and btw - welcome to the forum Minny!

Thanks for the welcome. I've been checking out some other recipe sites to see if I could find any type of recipe that was similiar, but no luck so far.

It's amazing that I found this forum! I did a search for "raisin bars by sunshine bakery" after a conversation with my mother this evening. I've been on a "mission" (obsession) to rediscover the recipe of some bars I loved as a child. After trying a couple of recipes and not recreating this yummy bar, I asked her about it again and suggested that maybe she had bought them. The lightbulb went off and she said they were bought -- they were raisin bars made by the sunshine bakery. I did a search and found this site! PLEASE if anyone comes across where to get these, post it! I don't have time at the moment, but one of the recipes I tried was "Brambles" from "Cooking Down East." It is similar and maybe with a few adjustments, we can come up with something very much like these bars we loved. If we can't find the actual bars, surely we can come up with something nearly the same!

The Brambles recipe is below. I used Betty Crocker pie crust mix and brushed the top with egg white when I made it. I think if we played with the crust some and the filling some, we might be able to come close to what we remember. Maybe some kind of empanada crust rolled very thin and brushed with egg white? And I think less of the lemon, maybe none at all, in the raisin mixture.

Brambles recipe from "Cooking Down East"
2 cups pie crust mix; 1 cup raisins; 1 cup sugar; 1 egg; grated rind & juice of 1 lemon; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 tbsp. cracker crumbs

Combine pastry mix w/cold water & divide into two portions. Roll one portion into a large retangular sheet. Place on cookie sheet. Spread with cooled raisin mixture. Roll other pastry. Place on top of raisin mixture. Turn a bit of edge of lower crust up over edge of upper crust, all around. Flute edge. Take a paring knife & gently mark off the top crust into 24 squares. (Don't cut through pastry.) Use a fork to prick to sets of holes in each square. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow to cool a few minutes, then cut the 24 brambles and place on rack to cool.
TO COOK RAISIN MIXTURE:
Put raisins through food grinder. Mix raisins w/sugar, salt, beaten egg, lemon juice & rind, and cracker crumbs. Cook slowly over a low heat until thickened. Allow to cool.

Thank you for sharing this recipe. I thought maybe it would be more of a bisquick type of recipe. I'll try this & see how it works out.

You're welcome! I read that Sunshine was bought by Keebler and so I've contacted Keebler with a request to start making these again. Maybe if enough of us contact them, they'll listen!

Good Idea!!! I'll get in contact & request that they start making them again too.

Here's another recipe I just came across that is supposed to be like the garibaldi biscuits above. Maybe if we used raisins instead we could also come up with something similar:
http://www.hookerycookery.com/biscuit003.htm

You can see I'm on a mission! There's a reason I created a website for finding information. (http://sahmsnwahms.com) I can't stop till I get what I'm after! LOL!

I think this one sounds more like the old raisin cookies.. I'll try it with raisins instead of currants. Thanks for sharing this. I was searching for a copy cat recipe but hadn't found one yet.

Just checked out your site.. great site Thanks . I saved it to my favorites so I can go back later & check it out more.

Speaking of raisins-does anyone one remember the Spanish bar cake from A&P???Loaded with raisins....

Yes I love those.. I think Hostess cupcakes makes these once in a while. I buy one every time I see one.