Candy Cane Blossoms

I LOOOOOVVVEE to cook. .and bake. .and try new recipes. .and make things with my hands that make people sing in their tummies.  The past 2 weeks have been filled with lots of those things. I will be sharing several recipes with you all this week. Hope you have some time next weekend to try them out. .they are our tried and true, treasured family favorites. .and I promise, they WILL be worth it!!

Yesterday, Cami and I fixed these yummy treats we found a few years ago to try at the cookie exchange. They've been a favorite ever since.

First, find the peppermint candy kisses made by our friend Hershey!! 

Unwrap about 48 for the recipe. .and a few extra to snack on while you work.  I don't typically like Hershey kisses. .but these. .ARE GREAT!! And beautiful too!

Mix up the dough and make little balls. .about 1 inch in diameter. Ours are a little bigger than that. .and out of a double recipe. .we were like 2 1/2 dozen short. .oops!!  It must have been the great helper. .causing me to forget how to add.  Anyway. .roll 'em in any kind of holiday sprinkle you have. .we used red and green sugars, and some little holiday jimmies.

It really doesn't matter if they are balls. .or if you squish 'em into little mishapen logs as you pinch them together instead of rolling them neatly in the sugar. .they all eat the same. .ugly or otherwise!!

And if your hands start to look like this. .add a little extra flour. .

OR. . .

Just lick 'em when no one is lookin'!!

(I promise, if anyone gets gifted these cookies. .I did make her wash again:-)

Bake 'em up.

When you take them out, work quickly and top each with a candy cane kiss, pushing down slightly.

The kisses will melt down, and some melt into little tiny puddles of white chocolate bliss. .It's all good.

And there you have. .one of our favorite holiday cookies. They are just gorgeous on a gift plate surrounded by chocolates and other little fancy cookies!!

Cooking all these wonderful treats for your family and friends is a tough job. .

But SOMEONE has to do it!! And I'm never at a loss for a volunteer or two!

Have a great week. .Hope you enjoy those cookies!

Candy Cane Blossoms

48 Mint candy cane kisses

½ cup butter, or margarine

1cup white sugar

1 egg

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbsp milk

Red or green sugars

Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in bowl. Stir together dry ingredients and add to butter alternating with milk. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in colored sugars and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set. Remove from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes. Press a candy into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to rack and cool completely. Yield: about 4 doz.