Poor Man’s Treats Recipe

Here’s a classic “Poor Man’s Treats” recipe, inspired by Depression-era cooking—simple, budget-friendly, and delicious. These treats go by many names, but they usually refer to bar-style cookies or cake-like bars made with minimal, pantry-staple ingredients.

🍪 Poor Man’s Treats (Raisin Spice Bars)

🧾 Ingredients:

• 2¼ cups water

• 1½ cups raisins

• ½ cup shortening or butter

• 1½ cups sugar

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

🥣 Instructions:

1. Boil the Raisins
   In a saucepan, combine the water, raisins, and shortening.
   Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
   Let cool slightly.

2. Preheat the Oven
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.

3. Mix Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

4. Combine All Ingredients
   Pour the raisin mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
   Add beaten eggs and nuts (if using), and mix until well incorporated.

5. Bake
   Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
   Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

6. Cool & Serve
   Let cool completely in the pan. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar or add a simple glaze (powdered sugar + milk/lemon juice).

🍴 Storage:

• Keeps in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.

• Can be frozen (cut into squares) for up to 2 months.

💡 Notes & Variations:

• This recipe is flexible: you can use dried cranberries or chopped dates in place of raisins.

• Make it dairy-free by using vegetable shortening or oil.

• For a more cake-like texture, reduce flour by ¼ cup.