Christmas is a time for family and friends, for being thankful for what we have and sharing joy, and for cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.
There are a couple of cookies that are Christmas staples in pretty much every family. From there, every family has their own classics, their own favorites. For us, it’s just not Christmas without Russian Tea Balls, Pecan Tarts, Raspberry Crescents, and the king of all Christmas Cookies: Bells.
A spiced sugar cookie with nut filling and half a maraschino cherry made to look like a bell, these are my very favorite Christmas cookie of all time. They are soft and delicious with just the right amount of nuts and cherry flavor. If I had to pick just one cookie to have at Christmas time, it would be Bells. If I had to pick just one cookie to have any time, it would still be Bells. I am very serious about my Bells. And nobody makes them like my Mom.
Mom is the Martha Stewart of our family. When I was at her house last week, she had all the flour, a giant can of Crisco, and everything else she needs for her holiday baking marathon already set out on her dining room table. This year, she’s having both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations, each with their own traditional menus like “Sausage Snacks” and “Pink Stuff.” If you leave Mom’s house hungry, well, that’s your fault. And if you didn’t have a good time, that’s your fault, too. Every year, Mom makes sure we have a holiday that you’d see in a magazine, complete with plates and plates of cookies.
Attached is my Mom’s recipe for Spiced Cherry Bells. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with all of your favorite holiday treats and the people who make them special.
Merry Christmas!
-Liz
Teen Librarian