Cookies that contain candy.

OK so I know the holidays are almost over and most of you are sick of sweets, but I had to share a couple of cookie recipes that I made this Christmas season before I forget about them. Incidentally, both of these would be a good way to use up some of that candy you got in your stocking if your haul happened to include candy cane kisses or Rolos (neither of which are that great when eaten plain, in my opinion).

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies (adapted slightly from ourbestbites.com)

(Image courtesy of Our Best Bites)

I made these cookies for a Christmas party with my high school girlfriends and they were a hit. Since then I’ve made them using both the shortening and butter mixture the recipe recommends and just butter alone. I have to say I prefer the butter, since shortening freaks me out a little and it didn’t seem to make that much difference in the texture of the cookie.

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1/2 c. real butter
OR
1 cup butter

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
48 Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped

1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy.
3) Add the eggs and vanilla.
4) Meanwhile, combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
5)Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the centers are set but still soft.
6)Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 minute. Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss. Allow to cool completely, long enough for the Kiss to harden. If necessary, after the cookies have cooled, they can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to re-solidify the Kiss

Rolo Cookies (from the Ivory Favorites cookbook)

I originally bought Rolos intending to make an entirely different treat, but after finding out that peanut butter is literally the only flavor of M&Ms not available in holiday colors (a fact that seriously baffled me) I had to put the kaibosh on that idea. These cookies were a more than adequate substitute.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Bag of Rolo candies, unwrapped
2 Tbsp. sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls in (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees .

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

3. With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

4. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and blend well.

5. Using your hands, shape dough into small balls (mine were about the size of a ping pong ball, maybe a little smaller).

6. Press Rolo into center of ball and cover with dough.

7. Roll dough ball in sugar ( I skipped this step because I’m not a fan of that sugary texture) and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

8. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until tops of cookies are slightly cracked.

9. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.