Why not try your hand at making some unleavened bread and treats at home this year during the Days of Unleavened Bread? It can be enjoyable and easy to make some very basic and delicious baked goods. I have included several of our family’s favorite unleavened recipes we have used and enjoyed through the years.
Children can especially help in making basic unleavened flatbread. Children and grandchildren always delight in rolling and cutting out dough. It’s time well spent in spite of the cleanup required! The recipe I have included below is wonderful with butter and honey even while still warm. One year on the First Day of Unleavened Bread in Montana we had a catered meal between morning and afternoon services. We instructed the caterer we would be eating only unleavened bread or crackers such as Ry-Krisp or matzos with the meal. He was curious and asked about making some unleavened bread for us if we could give him a recipe. So I gave him mine and he made unleavened bread for us. It was very much appreciated and we enjoyed homemade unleavened bread that Holy Day for lunch.
Also listed are several recipes that have been favorites of ours for many years. I obtained the recipe and learned how to make Scotch Shortbread from an elderly lady in the St. Louis congregation many years ago. She would make a batch and send it with us as we left services—with 5 children it was gone long before we arrived home that evening. The recipe for Almond Bread has also been a regular with us during these special days.
Since our children and grandchildren 
live long distances away, I make granola and send it to them for a special treat and a way to keep in touch. They love it and have their favorite varieties. In fact, I receive e-mails when their supply is getting low! Several years ago, I came up with the idea to make chocolate granola and it was an instant success. The best part (after it has cooled) is adding the chocolate chips! Chocolate granola might be a specialty to try this year for your family or as gifts to others. The Almond Bread and Scotch Shortbread also make very nice gifts to give to others during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
One additional recipe I have included is a Nut Pie Crust for any type of cheesecake or recipe calling for a crust of graham cracker or cookie crumbs. It works very well and is delicious. This recipe I also discovered and obtained many years ago when it was served at a Holy Day covered-dish meal. Getting together for covered-dish meals and sharing meals and recipes together is a special way for us to get acquainted and develop lifelong friendships.
UNLEAVENED BREAD
- 2½ cups unbleached flour
- 2½ cups wholewheat flour
- (or 5 cups wholewheat flour)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
Mix flours, corn meal and salt. Cut in butter. Add egg yolks and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Roll out and cut in squares and bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees, for approximately 15 minutes. The length of time to bake depends on how thick you prefer to roll out the dough.
SCOTCH SHORTBREAD
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pound soft butter
Mix flour and sugar together. Cut butter into flour/sugar mixture. Work and knead with floured hands until dough is smooth. Divide into 2 parts and press into two 8" x 8" baking dishes. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes. Watch carefully and perhaps lower the oven temperature toward the end of the hour because it burns easily.
ALMOND BREAD
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup butter or oil
- 3 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 small bag of slivered almonds
Combine sugar, eggs and 1 cup of flour. Mix well and add oil or butter. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into 2 greased bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from pans to cool. Apples, cinnamon and walnuts may be substituted for the almonds and almond extract.
CHOCOLATE GRANOLA
- 15 cups oats
- 2 cups wheat germ
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped walnuts
- ¾ cup cocoa
- ½ cup ground flax seeds
- 2 cups honey
- 2/3 cup oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Chocolate chips (as many as you want!) added later when cooled
Combine dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in a saucepan and heat until warm. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet about ¾ inch deep. Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours, or until it’s the desired dryness. Check during baking time and with a spatula lightly stir once or twice so it bakes more evenly. When totally cooled keep sealed in a glass gallon jar in a dry place. Serve to all children and adults who like CHOCOLATE!
NUT PIE CRUST
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup chopped nuts
Mix well and press in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes—if recipe does not call for baking the pie. If recipe calls for baking the pie, pour the pie ingredients into the unbaked nut crust and bake the recommended time for the pie.
CINNAMON HONEY GRANOLA
- 14 cups oats
- 3 cups any variety chopped nuts
- 1 cup wheat bran
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- ½ cup oil
- 1½ to 2 cups honey
- 1 cup water
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
- Optional: Add dried fruit when done.
Combine dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in a saucepan and heat until warm. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet about ¾ inch deep. Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours, or until it is the desired dryness. Check during baking time and with a spatula lightly stir once or twice so it bakes more evenly. When totally cooled keep sealed in a glass gallon jar in a dry place.
TOFFEE SQUARES
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup of pecans or walnuts
- Giant size (9¾ ounce) Hershey milk chocolate bar
Mix butter, sugar, flour and vanilla well, and press (may use your fingers!) into a 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Melt chocolate bar and spread on dough while it is still warm. Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top.
NOBAKE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 stick butter
- 3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2½ to 3 cups oatmeal (uncooked)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 cup coconut
Boil sugar, milk, butter and cocoa for 1 to 1½ minutes (time after it starts to boil.) Remove from heat and quickly add other ingredients. Beat until blended, and immediately drop by teaspoonful on wax paper. Allow to set and cool.
PECAN PIE SQUARES
Crust:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
Filling:
- 1½ cups corn syrup (light or dark)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
Blend crust ingredients and put in 9" x 13" pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Blend filling ingredients together and put on top of baked crust. Then cover top with chopped pecans (the more the better). Bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until done.
FAVORITE CHEESE CAKE
Crust:
- Follow directions for the Nut Pie Crust.
Filling:
- 3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla together until mixed well. Pour into 10" pie pan lined with Nut Crust. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Take out of oven and cool about 10 minutes. Then top with the following mixture and bake in 350 degree oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Topping: 1 pint of sour cream, ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla.