I fell off the wagon. But in my defense how was I to know they were going to have a cookie tour on my first weekend away from training? And what else is there to do in the middle of rural Pennsylvania but go on a cookie tour when you stumble across it?
I was eating breakfast with my husband at The Country Junction in Smicksburg. He was to drive back to Coshocton that afternoon and we were trying to decide what to do with the day. Since we were already near the little shops of Smicksburg we decided to stop in a few of them.
We stumbled onto their annual Christmas Cookie Tour and happily wandered for a few hours sampling cookies and picking up recipes until it was time for him to go. I didn’t get to every shop to try the cookies, and not every shop had a recipe, but I’ll tell you my favorites and give you the recipes I picked up.
I wish I could tell you we learned about the Cookie Tour at Country Junction but there were no cookie recipes there and I didn’t even see the cookies sitting out if there were any. I only saw the ones for sale.
I loved this Christmas Cookie Tour, and you can tell from the photos which shops I was most impressed with in how they presented the cookies, presented themselves and their businesses and really encouraged cookie tour participation.
Happy baking and happy Eating!
Love, Marla
My grandparents lived near Smicksburg all their lives so I grew up not seeing Amish country as a tourist area, but just buggies to drive around, good carpenters for hire and cool-looking haystacks…
It’s only been in recent years of living in other Amish areas of the country that I began exploring our own when I would return for family visits.
On this trip, they happened to be having a Christmas Cookie Tour in Smicksburg and who could resist free cookies?
Downtown Smicksburg Amish Country store had some great furniture. If we would ever stay in one location long enough I think I would furnish at least part of our house from here.
Amish Country or Steeler Country?
We expected these root beer cookies to be strange. And they were…strange but delicious. I couldn’t believe how much I liked them!
Kurt exploring Amish Country store
I HIGHLY recommend you try making these. They were delicious and what a surprising and different taste for the holidays. So refreshing and different! Your guests will be talking about these!
I was surprised to see a couple baskets of monkey balls (aka spider balls) outside the Primitive Peddlar. I know this was the cookie tour but since they didn’t have any recipes for their Texas Sheet Cookies and when asked for it told me I could find the recipe in any recipe book anywhere, I didn’t even want to post a picture. And, well, I didn’t even try the cookies. It kind of took the fun out of the tour. But awesome osage oranges. That definitely warranted a photo at least!
I just love Smicksburg Pottery. We’ve been in there before and her work is beautiful. We met her two new bunnies starting with this little fella in his bed.
Smicksburg Pottery went above and beyond in the festive spirit, providing four kinds of holiday cookies to sample. I loved them all, including these Tangerine Butter Cookies. Yum!
These were a tie for best cookie of the ones I tried. A MUST-MAKE recipe for the holidays. I don’t even like toffee and I love these. Granted, I keep saying I hate toffee yet I keep getting a salted caramel mocha at Starbucks. hmmm… maybe I do not dislike toffee so much. Another thing I love? Smicksburg Pottery.
Oh sweet Mary and Joseph (since we’re talking Christmas I mean) these Peppermint Cream Bars were so tasty and the texture…the TEXTURE was out of sight. Thank you Smicksburg Pottery angel, for making so many types and having so much fun with your colorful recipes!
I have decided I am going to make all these types of cookies for Christmas. I’m going to have a Christmas cookie swap…with myself.
A little girl enjoying the cookie tour rounds got to feed and pet the rabbits at Smicksburg Pottery. I wanted to be a little girl SO bad!
Giving the bunny a treat at Smicksburg Pottery
Between the friendly bunnies and the friendly shop and the several kinds of cookies to try, Smicksburg Pottery gets my vote for best overall participant in The Christmas Cookie Tour.
Delicious. Delicious. DELICIOUS. Make these for the holidays!
These were delicious and lately with my fixation on marzipan and all things almond-y, I would combine them with a little bit of dark chocolate coating. But really they’re perfect as they are.
I can’t thank Smicksburg Pottery enough for making so many types of cookies. I can’t wait for the post-Thanksgiving baking to begin!
Very nice ladies at the Drying Shed helped us check out. This is where we learned about the Christmas Cookie Tour. Sitting at checkout were cookies, the tour list of places to go (the only place I saw this list) and their own recipe.
I bought a LOT of little ornaments. I love to use them instead of bows to top my presents. That way you get to add an ornament each year. I dunno. Just fun.
Tasty cookies greeted us at check-out.
I was happy to get a dozen fresh brown eggs while I was there, too!
I think they were so smart to put their name at the top of their recipe. This was very smart marketing, because it’s easier to just tape a recipe into your book or put it into your drawer than to copy it. Now every time I pull out this recipe, I see their name.
It was beautiful weather for the Cookie Tour and some shops were packed with everyone coming out for the event.
These peppermint chews were my personal favorite. It was a tough call, but it was just the right combination of texture and taste, and of course it’s all personal preference. I can’t ever get enough peppermint and chocolate. 🙂
I just adored the ladies working at the Country Cupboard. Very sweet and even though I tried only having half a cookie to behave myself, they insisted I get one all to myself. Nom nom nom.
Soooo. Good. So.
They were always busy with shoppers and cookie tourists at the Country Cupboard.
Make these. Seriously. Everyone will love you. Invite me to help you eat them please.
I’ve been in here before. They have delicious fudge so I expected cookies that might incorporate their, um, er…fudginess?
I was happily surprised at cookie choice. Made by their sister restaurant, The Eating House, Kurt proclaimed these “The best Russian Tea Cookies I’ve ever tasted.” Not my style, I even loved them, so great job guys!
Kurt says throw away your Russian Tea Cookie recipe and make these.
fudgy goodness
These were wonderful. Texture, taste. Oh good golly molly peppermint is everything that’s right with the season!
Okay guys (sorry had to reply down here because I guess I have a limit on how many replies on the same thread? will have to look into that). Okay, tomorrow’s is already scheduled because I’ll be away, but I will post the call for participants either Friday or this weekend and we’ll see if we can get a solid dozen. it would be fun to send readers around to somewhere between 6-12 sites to get recipes and get to know our fellow bloggers.
Now this would be my idea of heaven!
Completely. Oh my gosh – hey – what do you think about having an online Christmas cookie “swap?” Of course we can’t do actual cookies but we could organize a specific day that we all post a recipe of our holiday favorites and link to each other… ?
Fab idea. As you know I am pants in the kitchen Marla, so I am relieved you won’t be looking for a recipe from me!!!
Great idea! I know about the recipe, but I am pants (love that expression)in the kitchen too! And we can eat as many cookies as we want because recipes and photos don’t have any calories.
Marla if you do a post – I can re-blog on mine if that’s okay with you and we can find out who would be interested?
Marla, have you worked in Ted?
Ted? I’m not sure what that is.
Ted, Hollywood movie
I haven’t watched it yet. Now I will have to watch it so I can answer you better. 😀
watch it, you’ll see yourself in very first scenes 😀
You can never say no to a cookie tour. I’m always amazed by the quantity that can be consumed within a short period of time.
Yes, it was that kind of bloated happiness that would take a day to go away. 😀
Also – see the suggestion I just left for Crazytraintotinkytown and let me know what you think about something like that? Maybe just a dozen or less of us bloggers all doing it on the same day…?