Apple of My Eye: Applescotch Cookies Made With Jiffy Baking Mix

I've always had a soft spot for "Jiffy" brand baking mixes. Not necessarily because of their superior taste (though I think they're perfectly serviceable) but because of their packaging. These petite packages have a distinctly retro look, but not in an ironic way--more like they've never changed the initial 1930 design (why mess with a good thing?). 

Unable to resist the packaging, I recently found myself in possession of a box of Jiffy Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix. Two questions occurred to me:

1. Where did these mixes come from?
2. What can I make with this mix that is not muffins?

Where the magic happens! Photo: Chelsea MillingHappily, the Chelsea Milling website (their parent company) was able to shed light on both of these pressing questions. As for the history? Here it is, from their site:

Chelsea Milling Company is operated by a family whose roots in the flour milling business date back to the early 1800’s. We have been milling flour here in Chelsea for over 120 years.

Mabel White Holmes, grandmother of our President, Howdy S. Holmes, developed and introduced to the homemaker the first prepared baking mix product, “JIFFY” Baking Mix, in the spring of 1930. Currently we offer 22 “JIFFY” Mixes. Our mixes provide you, our consumer, with the best value available.

Chelsea Milling Company is a complete manufacturer. We store wheat. We mill wheat in to flour. We use that flour for our own mixes. We make our own “little blue” boxes. We do it all-that’s why our mixes provide you with the best possible value. Value is using the highest quality ingredients and the best price!

Our entire operation is located in Chelsea, Michigan and our product is shipped out to all 50 states, as well as some foreign countries through the United States Military.

Finding this pretty fascinating, I'd like to state for the record that if they invited me to come and tour their factory, it would be like the awesomest thing ever.

As for a recipe? Happily, they have a handy recipe finder by mix--and I quickly settled on the delectable-sounding "Applescotch Cookies". Incredibly easy to make, these cookies fall somewhere between cakey and chewy, and the mellow, buttery butterscotch flavor works extremely well with the apple-spice flavor from the mix. Here's the recipe.

Applescotch Cookies

• 1 pkg. "JIFFY" Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
• 1 Tbsp. instant butterscotch pudding
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp. quick oats
• 1 Tbsp. margarine or butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butterscotch pieces

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375°, grease baking sheet. 
2. Mix together muffin mix, pudding and nutmeg.
3. Cut in softened margarine or butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add oats.
4. Mix in egg until well blended. Add butterscotch pieces.
5. Roll into 3/4 to 1" balls and place on cookie sheet.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.

Comments

[Jacqueline]

As a Michigander, the first thing I ever baked on my own was Jiffy muffins. I'm personally a big fan of the corn muffins, but I especially love all the recipe suggestions on their site. These cookies certainly look tasty too!

[Sasha]

These sounds delicious! I love Jiffy cornbread, actually crave it.... I make a mean Taco Cornbread Pizza with Jiffy cornbread.

[allison burt-tilden]

i love this post for so many reasons! first, i grew up on muffins made using jiffy's blueberry muffin mix- so delicious! and i've always loved their packaging, you're so right! second, i never thought to see if you can make anything else with their mixes! total duh on my part. and third, i just made oatmeal butterscotch cookies and they turned out very crisp and almost candy like ... they were good but i'm really jonesing for something pretty much exactly like the applescotch cookies. i am definitely going to try them this weekend. thanks, cake spy!! :D

[Meister @ Eat This Neighborhood]

I have huge love for Jiffy baking mixes! On pancake days (of which there aren't nearly enough, come to think of it), I sometimes fashion a batter out of Jiffy corn- and blueberry-muffin mixes for thick, squishy little blue-corn griddle cakes. Seriously delicious.

[Nicole B.]

I wanted to make my coworkers (fellow elementary teachers) cookies before we leave for Winter Vacation next week, but I've been trying to avoid anything too decadent or topped with confectioners sugar, seeing as they should be cookies that can be easily eaten on-the-go and the ladies can't complain "Oh dear, I can't have those, too many calories!". Just the word 'apple' in a cookie makes it seem better. ;) I also didn't want something too generic like sugar cookies or gingerbread men....these are so perfect! I'm going to include the recipe for the taking, too. :D

I'm going to try to bump up the spices a little bit to makes them a little more 'Holiday-y'

You guys rock, thanks!! :)

[Toni]

I grew up making these mixes!!! I love Jiffy mixes...I agree with you about loving their design. Sadly I am now gluten free and cannot indulge. I would never dream of asking them to tackle that, because I love how they have never changed!

[Katelynne]

Ah, Jiffy! I love their cornbread mix.....I've tried so many recipes for cornbread it's not even funny. The best recipes taste exactly the same as Jiffy. It is so fast, too. When I travel to the States, I have to pick up about 20 boxes! :D

[Lucie]

So funny--I've never had anything made with a Jiffy mix, yet I've always been in love witht he packging. I always felt like ti was a nice cereal box for my dolls! You've definitely inspired me to buy a mix and try it out for once!

[Sadie]

I live near the Jiffy Mix factory in Chelsea, MI, and they offer free tours any time! I've never been on one myself, but I heard they're really fun.

[miss jille]

In elementary school my class went on a tour of the Jiffy factory. I remember it being really exciting and fun for a field trip, plus we got a free box of baking mix! This is inspiring me to pick up a few boxes on my next grocery trip.

[Butterscotch Cookies]

That first photo is too cute! :)

Thank you for the wonderful recipe, I look forward to trying it out.

[Nook on Sale]

These sound amazing! And not all that difficult either. I need to pick up some Jiffy mix.

[julia]

This looks like a wonderful recipe for applescotch cookies! Where is the best bakery you've ever been to? Share it on your besty list! http://www.thebesty.com/cakespy