If you are going to visit the Hardin County Amish settlement there are many home-based businesses to visit, but no trip would be complete without a stop at Mary's Bakery.  The bakery is kind of out in the middle of nowhere. Click here for a map. It is, however, well worth a drive to find it.  Mary makes an incredible assortment of bliss-inducing pies, cookies, breads, and cinnamon rolls.  I was fortunate enough to visit there a year or so ago and if you haven't watched my little video tour of the place, click here.  WARNING:  watching the video WILL make you hungry!
In case you are just dying to try a cinnamon roll recipe like the one in the picture, Lovina's recipe is a very traditional Amish cinnamon roll. Â She shared the recipe in her column a few weeks ago, you can click back to it here.
Meanwhile, this is a recipe for Jello cookies that an Amish woman gave me (watch the video to see the cookies). Â Her recipe has sugar in it, but I think you could use a sugar-free jello and omit the sugar if you wanted your cookies sugar-free.
JELLO COOKIES
- 1½ c. shortening
- 4 eggs
- 4 c. flour
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 (3 oz.) pkg. Jello (strawberry, cherry or your favorite)
- Mix all the above ingredients, make into balls, place on cookie sheet. Bake 10- 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Lauren
Several Amish bakeries in Hardin County have been cited by the Health Department for unsafe practices. Beware.
Kevin
Yea, I'm aware...I mentioned it in my video...I've got mixed feelings on the whole issue....Lauren, have you been to any of the bakeries? Just curious about a local perspective...
Marie
Hello. My mother and I have been followers of the Amish Cook since Elizabeth's early days. Thank you all by the way!
I live just a few miles from Mary's Bakery and have been going there for years. I think some of the hullabaloo has to do with refrigeration of ingredients or something. I also recall something about Mary's Bakery not wanting to buy a vendor's license because of the tax issue and all which has caused a stir with the local government. I don't know. I just know that my family and friends have been enjoying Mary's for many years without any issues. As a side note, her daughter-in-law lives around the corner from her and also sells delicious baked goods.
Did you make a stop at Pfeiffer Station General Store down the road from Mary's? Mary and some of the local Amish sell their baked goods and other products there which is especially convenient if Mary's is closed at that time.
My family and I recently discovered the Country Variety Store on US 68 North in Bellefontaine, just a ways from Kenton? They are a large bulk foods store for the local Amish and also sell locally made Amish wooden structures such as chicken coops and swingsets as well as baked goods, seeds, quality crafts, meat, cheese, tools, etc. Worth a try sometime!
Keep up the great work, Kevin. 🙂
Kevin
Marie...thank you so much for the kind words and welcome to amishcookonline! I did stop in the general store..that's a good tip for someone who happens upon Mary's when it is closed, head over to the general store. The Country Variety Store is not a place I have been to yet, but I am going to be visiting there in the next month or so..I am looking forward to visiting the area again. You are lucky to live so close to Mary's!
linda thomas
I visit Mary's every time I visit My Aunt Marlene just across the road and enjoy her products. I use my head eating home produced products including my own canning and baking. And our Christmas pie has 3, count them 3, raw eggs in it and serve it to the grandkids. We here in the United States are to use to thinking someone needs to think for us, not think for ourselves.
Kevin
Linda - It was your Aunt Marlene who took the video, it was so nice to meet her! - Kevin
mrs mcintyre
dearest kevin, the rolls remind me of yoder's resturant in sarasota! we went on your recommendation to pinecraft for our 20th wedding [ it was valentine's day] anniversary and my birthday. we started from st. pete,fl. after traffic had cleared on the sunshine bridge. we were eating an hour later. sweetheart had biscuits and sausage gravy and i had yoder's key lime pie and fried mush. yes, i ate my pie first, life is short so go for the good stuff right away! we hit some mennonite yard sales walking off breakfast. we did the creamery and all the yoder's shops, produce and gift. then we hit a huge salvage yard. our home was built in 1925 so we are always looking at salvage type places. then off to the big cat rescue to see lions, tigers and bears oh my!!! wonderful day for less than 1/4 tank of gas! we live without a/c and have already started using our whole house fan where did spring go?
now as to unhealth food at amish bakeries, we all take our chances eating anywhere! i have already told you about my adventure with homemade root beer!! it is still a family story. have a great EASTER, without it we have no hope.
Kevin
Mrs. Mcintyre, welcome to the website and so glad you had a good, tasty time in Pinecraft..it's one of my favorite places!:) - Kevin
Carolyn Price
I understand the necessity for the health dept. doing periotical checks in establishments that sell food, but I am inclined to feel it should stop there. I am with the other person that said we are used to the Gov. thinking for us. It seems we are to be little robots. That said ; I can everything I able to in the fall. My family and friends have come to depend on my jams to get them through the year, and are totally depressed if they run out and have to buy it in the store. They say it just dosn't taste the same.I give it away, as I know it blesses those I love. Nobody has died from food poisoning yet. I follow sterelizing methods to the letter. Anyway wish I could visit some of the Amish communities I would be in my heights of glory. We do have a Mennonite community about forty miles south of us. Wa. state is a long way from the mid-west. I have been reading the Amish cook for a long time. Thank You Keven.
Elwanda L. Iskenderian
I love your Amish, recipe for yeast rolls and I just want to thank you for printing it.I love the Amish, they are very honest, and I like that.
Judi
Love Mary and her bakery. Even living in Michigan I get to down to Mary's about once every 4 to 6 weeks.
Leslie
I can't wait to visit, there's a Amish community here in Michigan I go often as I can, love they baked goods, even bought my first quilt.
Kevin
Where do you go in Michigan, Leslie?
Kevin
Thank you, Sue, for that comment....I may be up that way later this week, if so, I'll check out the area south of Hepburn!