This cookie recipe comes from my great-grandmother, Florence Catharine Barnett (née Hickey), who Nana called Mother Barnett. It was included in my Nana’s collection of family recipes.
The cookies are made with brown sugar and a little ginger or cinnamon. The dough is rolled into balls and flattened with a fork before baking.

Mother Barnett’s Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ tsp ginger or cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and beaten egg.
- Sift the flour, ginger or cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar together three times.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix with a spoon.
- Roll the dough into balls and press flat with a floured fork.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
Family Recipe Notes
This recipe was preserved in my Nana’s family cookbook.
The original recipe calls for either ginger or cinnamon, depending on your preference.
