Sick Day Cookies

When you have small children, especially if any of them spend any amount of time outside of the house, at playgrounds, school, play dates, the store, the mall, daycare, etc., it is inevitable that they will bring home some kind of virus that will get everyone sick, no matter how many times you wash their hands or slather them in anti-bacterial stuff. They put things in their mouths, they lick things, they hug and kiss each other, they wipe things. There really is no avoiding it. In our house this year we spent the time between Halloween and New Years taking turns being sick with some form of cold, ear infection, or flu. I tried everything to make it stop. In January it seemed to calm down a little and we've only been slightly sick once since then. Knocking on wood as I type. During this last episode (because I was desperate not to have another three months of stuffy noses, coughs, and sore throats) I decided I would make a treat that put everything in it that could help prevent a cold, and also treat one if it's already invaded your home. All the stuff my daughter refuses to take when she's sick. Echinacea, flax seeds, honey, wheat germ, blueberries, prunes, ginger, elderberry syrup. If I could have figured out a way to squeeze garlic and lemon juice in there I would have. Hence, Sick Day cookies were invented. And, I'm proud to report that they not only taste great, but this last cold lasted only two days, the adults did not catch it, and we have not been sick again since. Again, knocking on wood. Connor loved them too. These, along with chicken soup will be my new go-to remedy when we have sick people. Now if only I could figure out how to get someone to make them for me when I'm sick, too.

Sick Day Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
one packet Celestial Seasonings (or other brand) Echinacea tea
1/4 cup ground flax reads
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tblsp Elderberry syrup
Choice of blubbery preserves, prune "amazins", dried cranberries, or honey for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Tear open tea packet and add dry leaves to the mix. Add Elderberry syrup. Add flour in increments. When it's all mixed in start adding the flax and wheat germ. This will form a nice solid smooth dough.

Place walnut sized balls about two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Here's the fun part. Depending on your preference you can just flatten them with a criss cross fork pattern (like peanut butter cookies) and leave them plain, Laylah's preference. Or you can make them into thumb print cookies and add a dollop of blueberry preserves. Or you can make thumbprints and fill them with prune pieces, dried cranberries or cherries, whatever strikes you or it handy.


Bake for about ten minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Let cool, they will be soft when they first come out but harden after cooling. I like to put raw honey on them and eat them that way. Addicting!!! Plus honey is so uber good for colds it's ridiculous. They were a big hit at our house and I'd like to think they helped us get over our colds faster. More experimenting is probably in order, but I hope I won't have to make them again too soon!