Mary's Bell Cookies
- Preparing Time: -
- Total Time: -
- Served Person: Makes about 5 dozen cookies
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 15 to 18 maraschino cherries (from a 10-oz jar), including 3 tablespoons juice
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans (5 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon instant-coffee granules or instant-espresso powder
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat free), at room temperature
- a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter; a small offset spatula
- Carbohydrate 13 g(4%)
- Cholesterol 4 mg(1%)
- Fat 6 g(9%)
- Fiber 0 g(2%)
- Protein 1 g(2%)
- Saturated Fat 1 g(6%)
- Sodium 36 mg(2%)
- Calories 103
A Taste of Home: Mary's Bell Cookies
The scent of warm ginger and sweet brown sugar always takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen. A whirlwind of activity, she was a mother of seven, constantly bustling about, her hands never still. Amongst the chaos of family life, she always found time to bake, her creations the comforting heart of our family gatherings. One recipe, scribbled in her elegant handwriting on a faded recipe card, stands out above the rest: her Bell Cookies. These aren’t just cookies; they’re tiny edible bells, delicate and charming, each one a miniature work of art.
The recipe itself is deceptively simple, a testament to the power of classic baking techniques. The buttery, crumbly dough, infused with warm spices, contrasts beautifully with the sweet, nutty pecan filling. The maraschino cherries, carefully placed as clappers, add a delightful burst of tartness that cuts through the richness. It’s a balance of flavors and textures that’s both sophisticated and comforting, a reflection of my grandmother's own warm and generous nature. Making these cookies is more than just following a recipe; it's a journey back in time, a connection to the women who shaped my life.
For years, I’ve cherished this recipe, keeping it safe alongside other treasured family heirlooms. It's a legacy I now pass on to my own children, sharing with them the love and care baked into every bite. Each Christmas, as the aroma of these cookies fills my home, I am reminded of my grandmother's steadfast hands, her unwavering love, and the enduring power of a simple, delicious recipe. The sweet, spicy scent evokes warm memories, transforming my kitchen into a place of cherished moments and cherished traditions. It’s not just about the perfect texture or the delightful taste; it's about keeping the love alive, one bell cookie at a time.
The simplicity of the ingredients belies the intricate process. Rolling out the dough, carefully cutting the shapes, and assembling each little bell with its tiny cherry clapper is a meditative experience, a quiet moment of reflection amidst the everyday hustle. It’s a reminder to slow down, to appreciate the small details, and to find joy in the simple act of creating something beautiful and delicious. The finished product is more than a dessert; it's a symbol of family, tradition, and the enduring power of love, passed down through generations in every crumb.
These Bell Cookies aren't just a holiday treat; they're a timeless classic, a taste of home that transcends time and generations. The recipe is a treasure, a tangible link to my past, and a cherished tradition I’m happy to share.
The joy of baking these cookies goes beyond the delicious final product. It's about the process, the memories, and the legacy we create through simple acts of love and culinary creativity.
Step-by-step
- Make filling: Stir together brown sugar, butter, and 3 tablespoons cherry juice until combined, then stir in pecans. Set cherries aside.
- Make cookies: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, and coffee.
- Beat together brown sugar and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add corn syrup, egg, and cream and beat until combined well.
- Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, then mix until combined.
- Roll out one third of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/8-inch thick (about 15 by 11 inches). Chill dough on wax paper on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutter and transfer with a metal spatula to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, spacing them 1/2 inch apart. Roll out, chill, and cut remaining dough in same manner. Reserve scraps.
- Center 1/2 teaspoon nut filling on lower half of each cookie, then, using spatula, fold sides in toward center to form a cone. (Dough may crack along fold; part of filling will be exposed.)
- Stem and quarter cherries. Place 1 cherry quarter over exposed filling on each cookie to make bell clapper.
- Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 12 to 16 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Reroll scraps, then make more cookies in same manner (reroll only twice), baking them on cooled sheets.
- Cooks' note: Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.
