Hilda's Cookies

My daughter brought over a tin of cookies at Christmas. Since she is an amazing baker (and cook) they were amazing--some of them very fancy. But the ones we loved most were these plain little rounds, slightly plump, crispy on the outside and softer inside. After we finished those off, I asked for the recipe. She said the recipe originally was given to her by her neighbor, Hilda. So, here it is, if you are fond of simple cookies:

Hilda's Cookies
2 sticks of butter
1/3 cup of oil
1 2/3 cups of sugar
2 eggs
Lots of vanilla--2 T. [I only had 1 teaspoon on hand but they were fine]
1 teaspoon soda
4 cups of flour~~OR~~2 cups of flour, 1 cup of Bob's Red Mill unsweetened coconut and
1 cup of Bob's Red Mill corn flour. [I used the coconut and corn flour]
Nutmeg [I just put about a teaspoon in the palm of my hand and it looked about
right--to taste]

All ingredients at room temperature. Cream butter and oil, stir in sugar, beat
in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Blend the soda (mash any
lumps!) with the first cup of flour and stir that into the wet ingredients.
Continue to add the dry ingredients and use a spatula to be sure everything
is completely blended.

Roll the dough into one inch balls and flatten slightly. Bake 350 degrees on
ungreased cookie sheet, about 12 min. Watch closely. They should only be
very light brown.

I made this discovery--if you chill the dough and then roll it into balls and bake it
the tops crack, which gives the cookies a different look, not unlike old-
fashioned molasses cookies.

You could also make the plain flour version and add shredded lemon peel and poppy
seeds. Maybe glaze them with lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze?