Cookie Baking 2012 Segment #3

So, how are we doing?  Are you keeping up with me?  Are we having fun yet?  UGH!!!!!  Today we will add two more kinds to complete the 10 varieties of cookies that I'm making this year.  

When the fall holidays arrive, the Candy Cane Kisses begin to appear on grocery shelves.  These are incredibly yummy!  And amazing when tucked into a cookie!  Surprisingly enough our next cookies are called:

CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 cups butter, at room temp

1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional....I didn't use it)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Candy Cane Kisses, finely chopped

granulated sugar

additional, unwrapped Kisses - get two packages

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make room in either your refrigerator or freezer for your cookie sheet.

In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, extracts and egg.  Beat until creamy (about 2-3 min).  In separate bowl combine dry ingredients, add to wet mixture and beat.  The mixture will be crumbly.  Stir in chopped kisses.

Shape dough into 3/4 to 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar.  Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, press an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie and when done immediately put the cookie sheet into the freezer so that the cookies will set quickly.  If you do it fast enough the kisses will keep their shape.......see below:

You notice I had a few disasters!  Funny that they were so random.  My freezer was pretty full though so I really had to squeeze them in. Needless to say that the flopped over ones will not be going into the give-away containers.  LOL

Next, we're going to make my favorites.  These are sort of putzy in the beginning because you have to cut gum drops in preparation.  This is easy by using a scissors dipped into water before each cut.  The recipe says to quarter them, but mine were "honking" sized.....about an inch, so I had to cut a lot!  When you're done cutting, mix them with 2 teaspoons sugar to prevent sticking together.  (This bowl had a double recipe, so don't expect to get so many.)

SPICED GUMDROP SNOWBALLS

2/3 cups butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup spices red and green gumdrops, quartered

1/3 to 1/2 cup nonpareils (available in specialty baking shops)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Use parchment paper lining your cookie sheets, or grease two large cookie sheets.  Beat butter and then in order add sugar, cinnamon, then yolks and vanilla.  Beat in flour and then, by hand, add cut up gumdrops.

Shape dough in 1 inch balls and roll in nonpareils.  Place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.  Press slightly to flatten.  Bake 10 minutes.  Makes 36.

Pretty, huh?  They're just so Christmassy looking!!!  Besides, being so yummy!  I only started making them about 5 years ago and now make a double recipe every year.

So, there you have it.  Another segment of our 2012 cookie baking marathon.  Hope you're having fun!