Cherry Bonbon Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flour
24 candied cherries
Confectioners sugar frosting

Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in walnuts and flour until well blended. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Place a cherry in the center of each and, with floured hands, mold dough around the cherry to cover completely. Place 1″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets; chill 15 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes or unti golden brown. Remove to racks to cool.

Set cookies on racks over wax paper. Spoon frosting over cookies, allowing it to run down the sides. (Scrape up any that drips onto paper and reuse.)

Makes 24.

Frosting
In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons water, and2 drops of food coloring until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Chocolate Surprise Cookies

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teasoon salt
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
colored sugar or sprinkles

Beat butter and shortening on medium for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt and beat until combined. Beat in egg, yolks, and vanilla. Beat in flour.

Put 3/4 cup of the dough into a small bowl and add powdered sugar, cocoa, and melted butter. Beat well. Shape into 1″ balls.

Beat almond extract into remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mold about 1 tablespoon of the almond-flavored dough around each cocoa ball. Roll each cookie gently in colored sugar or sprinkles and place 2″ apart on greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on pan for one minute, then transfer to racks. Cool completely.

Makes 30.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 2:45 am and is filed under Holiday Recipes, Cookies and Bars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.