Grandma Youngs Fruit Filled Cookies

Every year that I can remember grandma would make fruit filled cookies; cherry being my favorite.  I would venture to say this is my most favorite thing she made.  She would make them sometime between Halloween and early December and she would freeze them to be later put on our Christmas Eve candy/cookie tray that we would bring home Christmas Eve.  I love, love, love these cookies.  I never knew how she made them, because I was never invited to help, not even once.  But today, we took out our old family recipe book and made them.  Of course the recipe said 4 1/2 cups flour when really they needed 11 1/2 cups, I don't know if this was a mistake or if someone was not wanting us to have the exact recipe=).  I never knew why these cookies had such a distinct taste until today.  The secret ingredient:  maple flavoring!  Grandma filled these cookies with apple's, cherry's and raisins, but did I mention how much I love the cherry ones best?  Our cookies today turned out just like they did when grandma made them and were even yummy warm.  But I like them best slightly frozen!

3 C. brown sugar
3 Cubes softened butter
5 Eggs
Cream together
Add 2 tsp backing soda in 1 C. warm water
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Mix while slowly adding
11 1/2 C flour.  Mix enough flour until roll out consistency.  Roll out, cut with glass cup.  Place on sprayed cookie sheet.  Add filling (cherry, apple, raisin).  Place cut out dough on top and press to bottom dough.  You must spray cookie sheet each time.  Bake at 350 degree's for 15-20 minutes.  Cool and them spread with frosting and top with sprinkles.