It’s the time of year for cookies. They’re traditional holiday fare, and for those who are too tired to bake, some of the classic cookie-plate favorites are waiting at local gourmet grocers.
Consider springerle. It has got to have the most time-consuming recipe requirements in the universe. Typical versions demand a special rolling pin and an overnight delay between mixing and baking.
Nobody’s got time for that.
So, Belle’s Kitchen, based in Columbus, comes to the rescue. Not to be confused with Belle’s Bread, Belle’s Kitchen is a cookie-making enterprise that molds and packages perfectly formed springerle. Some are circles, some are squares, all of them have a few little anise seeds and a poofy shell that shatters into a sturdy, sweet cookie foundation.
For all the labor that goes into the fancy treats, the ingredient list on the back of the springerle package is pretty simple — the major players are flour, sugar, butter, eggs and anise. According to Belle’s Kitchen, the house recipe is over 150 years old. That’s a tradition.
Alternately, Sheril Ann’s, based in Lockbourne, Ohio, offers up No-Bake Cookies. Granted, those treats are pretty easy to make at home, but it’s still easier yet to buy them. While not as pretty as springerle, no-bakes are fixtures on holiday cookie plates. They’re also an excellent means for hitting the chocolate spot. Sheril Ann’s makes them in both chocolate and peanut butter (with no chocolate) flavor. Both renditions delivery sugary goodness, tied together with chewy, wholesome oatmeal.
*For those who just want a big cookie binge, there’s a Cookie Walk at Maple Grove UMC (7 W. Henderson) on Saturday December 12 from 9am til noon. Proceeds go to benefit ALS research and support, in memory of one of my favorite people ever, Rev. Bill Croy, a great guy we lost in 2015… and they always have seven layer bars.