This week I decided to make an old-fashioned snack called Marguerites. They are saltine crackers topped with jelly, meringue, sugar, and chopped nuts.
Another blogger in a post titled, Retro Recipe Challenge No. 9: The Candy Man wrote this about Marguerites:
Marguerites are something of a culinary Marie Celeste, if you ask me. You’ll find them in recipe books from the teens, the 20s, the 30s, even the early 40s–and then they’re gone. They vanish without a trace . . . But The Joy of Cooking doesn’t mention them. Neither does Betty Crocker. By 1960, the day of the Marguerite had passed.
I can see why they’ve vanished from modern recipe books. The Marguerites had a nondescript taste and aren’t nearly as sweet as many modern snacks; yet at the same time, I liked them and they were a surprisingly satisfying snack.
Marguerites are fun to make and made a nice presentation. The salt on the crackers was noticeable in the finished product, which was both salty and sweet.
Will I make Marguerites again? I’m not sure – yet a piece of me thinks that I might. They’re an easy snack to whip up, and eating just a couple really did take the edge off my late afternoon hunger.
Here’s the original recipe:
The 1 tablespoon of jelly called for in this recipe was not nearly enough since each cracker needed to be spread with the jelly, When I updated the recipe, I didn’t list an amount, I just indicated that currant (or other tart) jelly was needed to make this recipe.
Pulverized sugar is an old term for powdered sugar.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Marguerites
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 soda crackers
currant jelly (or any tart jelly)
powdered sugar
chopped nuts (I used walnuts.)
Preheat oven to 325° F. Put egg whites in bowl and beat until stiff. Add granulated sugar, and beat a little more to get the sugar evenly distributed in the egg whites. Set aside.
Put crackers on a baking sheet. Spread currant (or other tart) jelly on each cracker. Put approximately a tablespoonful of the beaten egg white on top of each jellied cracker; gently spread using a fork, and then sprinkle with powdered sugar and chopped nuts.
Place in oven and bake until the beaten egg whites are lightly browned (about 15 minutes).
A Hundred Years Ago 
That is a very creative snack.
It would be a waste to put the oven on just for these. Maybe in a cooling oven after a baking session?
Marguerites are totally new to me, Sheryl! The closest I ever came as a child would have been saltines spread with jelly:)
My grandmother and mother made a version that is much easier and sounds better to me. I just made some today: powdered sugar frosting made with enough milk and a teaspoon of imitation maple flavoring. Put the frosting on each Ritz round cracker and add a pecan half on top. My grandmother always had these in a cookie jar.
Yum!
The only time I’ve seen saltines used for a sweet is as a base for a toffee-like concoction that involves four layers: crackers, brown sugar and butter, chocolate, and chopped pecans. That pretend-toffee seems much easier than these, especially since they’re made as a single block, and then just broken up.
Wow those look kewl! It is kind of sad that recipes just disappear! It is really neat that you find them and share! I will have to try this for fun
I was so curious about something I had never heard of that I read the post from the Candy Man. While it was interesting, let me just say that the presentation on your Marguerites is definitely superior!
Lazy me would just put the tart jelly on and eat. Sweet enuf and salty.
We have organizations to save near-extinct species, but you are the only one I know who rescues recipes of the past. Good going! Salt is popular these days. I’m thinking of chocolate with sea salt and salted caramel. I’m not sure I’d prepare Marguerites, though. A dish has to be truly exceptional for me to drag out the heavy mixer. Truly exceptional is having everyone in the house come running to the kitchen to find out what is cooking and beg for some.
Also make a quick after school snack!
Reminds me of the Christmas saltines- with chocolate and toffee
What an odd idea. I never much cared for soda crackers except when I was pregnant. I am afraid I will forever associate them with morning sickness.
Interesting… I’m not fond of making meringue as I’ve always felt the work to reward ratio was insufficient.
Great 🤗🤗
I will try once 😊
That sounds interesting.
Mom would make Margurites to take to functions. They would just sit because no one would try them. But, as soon as someone got brave enough they disappeared very quickly. BTW: Mom never put anything on the cracker except the meringue and they were very good.
It’s nice to hear that this post brought back some good memories. Thanks for sharing how your mother made them. They sound good.