Some gravestones tell stories through symbols, epitaphs, or carvings. Others share something even sweeter.

Gravestone recipes are one of those rare connections between memory and tradition, offering a way to bring the past into your kitchen.

Fleda Jane Osburn Shearer’s sugar cookies are a perfect example. They were more than just cookies; they were a way to bring people together, share comfort, and create memories that last. Known affectionately by some as “Funeral Cookies,” Fleda often baked them for gatherings in Arkansas.¹

Visitors to her grave can now sit at a bench engraved with her recipe and bake a batch themselves, keeping her warmth and hospitality alive.²

Fleda was born on March 5, 1934, and passed away on June 3, 2017, at the age of 83.³ One of the most memorable ways she touched her community was through her baking. Her sugar cookies were served at funerals, family gatherings, and casual visits alike.¹

After she passed away, her family honoured her by placing the recipe for these cookies on a bench at her grave in Magness Cemetery in Heber Springs, Arkansas.² At her funeral, the cookies were served alongside lemonade beneath a large tree, just as she would have done in life.² The bench near her grave even features a small starburst design, echoing the pattern she pressed into each cookie, inviting visitors to sit and remember her.²

The recipe engraved at Fleda’s grave is simple, classic, and delicious, exactly the kind of cookie that just melts on your tongue.

Here is the recipe, as engraved on the stone bench at her graveside:

Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. lemon extract (optional)
• 4 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp. Salt

Combine sugars, margarine & oil. Add eggs – stir in flavorings. Add all dry ingredients, mix well. Use 3/4 oz cookie scoop. Flatten with cookie press or glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. ENJOY!

In the Kitchen

These cookies were surprisingly simple to make, which honestly makes them even more special. The ingredients were basic and easy to pull together, which made the whole process feel really approachable. I did have to make one small substitution. I didn’t have lemon extract, so I used lemon zest instead.

Once everything was ready, the dough came together easily. There was nothing complicated about it, which made the process feel relaxed and enjoyable from the start.

Portioning the dough was a bit of a guessing game. I don’t have a cookie scoop, so I used a loose-leaf tea measuring spoon, which probably made my cookies larger than intended. They did spread quite a bit in the oven, so even though I spaced them out, some ended up touching. It wasn’t a big issue, just something to keep in mind if you try out this recipe.

One of my favourite parts was stamping the cookies. I didn’t have a decorative drinking glass at home, so I borrowed one from my mom that had a patterned base. I dipped it in sugar and used it to press each cookie before baking. It added such a fun and unique touch, and it’s an easy way to change up the look of the cookies depending on what you use.

I baked them for 12 minutes, which turned out to be just right. Nothing burned, which always feels like a win. Since it’s Easter weekend, I wanted to give them a bit of a spring feel. Since I didn’t have any yellow sanding sugar, I sprinkled a little extra lemon zest on top of the cookies after baking. It worked really well, and the helped the lemon flavour come through.

This recipe made a big batch. Even with making larger cookies, I ended up with about 40 cookies across four trays.

Right out of the oven, the cookies were soft, fluffy, and tender. They were lightly sweet without being overpowering, exactly what you want from a classic sugar cookie. The lemon flavour was not that noticeable when I had one straight out of the oven. But Later on, the lemon flavour became more pronounced.

I brought some of the cookies to a game night that same evening, and everyone agreed they were very tasty.

Overall, these are easy, comforting, and fun to make. I can absolutely see why they became such a meaningful part of Fleda’s legacy.

Gravestone recipes like Fleda’s show that memory can be sweet, simple, and deeply personal. Each batch of cookies is more than flour and sugar. It is a little piece of someone’s life and hospitality that can be enjoyed anywhere.

You can make the cookies at home, share them with family and friends, and continue a tradition of comfort and connection that Fleda started in her kitchen long ago.

Thanks for reading!

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References:

1. Quarantine Kitchen post | Facebook Group
2. To Die For A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes by Rosie Grant | Book
3. Fleda Jane Shearer Obituary | Arkansas Online