My Grandmother’s Recipe For Franz Josef Cookies – The Secret Is Revealed!

My grandmother almost carried the recipe for her famous cookies to her grave. She was a marvelous cook and had several recipes that were family favorites. She loved getting the praise and glory for producing these specialties for us and could never be coaxed to share the recipes.Finally, at some point in her 80s (she passed away in 1997 at the age of 93) she beautifully typed up the recipe and gave a copy to me and a copy to my sister. I’m not sure who else got copies.

This photo was taken at the last apartment she lived in in Los Angeles before she and my grandfather went into an assisted living facility. She must have been in her early 80s at this point. She’s bringing out two cups of tea from the tiny little galley kitchen. I remember working with her in this kitchen making enough potato pancakes for 10 people. We had three pans going and it was a regular assembly line.

Because of her secrecy around her recipes I feel a bit of conflict putting these out online for everyone but I made a comment on Facebook about making these cookies for my father and several people asked for the recipe. So without further ado, here it is, word for word, from the typed sheet she gave me.

EMPEROR FRANZ JOSEF COOKIES
Isli Tea Sutemeny (ISCHL COOKIES from Hungary)

These chocolate hazelnut cookies were highly favored by Franz Josef, former emperor-king of Austria-Hungary. They were named in honor of a summer resort in the Austrian Alps where Franz Josef liked to spend his leisure hours.

INGREDIENTS
3 oz. hazelnuts (1/2 cup, shelled) These will make about one cup grated
1 1/2 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp grated lemon peel (avoid the white pith)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup apricot or strawberry jam
1/2 pound semi-sweet chocolate for dipping

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