Hey There, Have a Cookie

Ready for a cookie recipe? How about 25 cookie recipes?! Throughout the month I'll post a holiday themed cookie recipe for you to try, swoon over, or share. I'll do my best to share any other holiday related doings as well, such as DIY projects or other recipes. Also, I'll do my best to deliver each batch of cookies to a different person in my life. If I know who they are ahead of time, I'll write them a little message here about why they got that cookie. So keep watching, you never know if the next cookie will be for you! Now that we've got all that out of the way, lets have a cookie.

The first recipe I'm going to share is for Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, a perfect crunch without too much sweetness. They are a perfect holiday treat, great for a cookie exchange, and this is a  really easy recipe to follow. Perfect cookie to bake while you're busy putting up your Christmas decorations, just as my family did tonight.

Also, let me introduce you to my co-star, my beautiful brand new KitchenAid mixer. I won this after attending the Austin Food and Wine festival, and since I already have a mixer, she's been sitting in a box in the garage for months. Of course, since she is the perfect shade of holiday red, I set her free! Now the song "Isn't She Lovely" should be playing in your head.

As for the cookies:

Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened (2 Sticks)
• 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract (I always use Mexican Vanilla)
• 2 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 box Chocolate Pudding mix (3.9 oz pkg.)

     For filling:

• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes
• 1/2 cup Confectioner's sugar
• 1 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 TB milk
• Extra candy cane pieces for topping

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Parchment is always a great idea for even baking and easy clean up. 
2. Cream butter with powdered sugar on low mixing speed, until well combined and fluffy. Add vanilla. 

   

   See, so fluffy!
   
   

   
   

3. Add flour and pudding mix, mix on low until combined and crumbly. The batter should be the same texture as play dough. 
4. Roll the dough into 1" balls, spreading evenly on the cookie sheet. Put your thumb in the center to create a crater, like so...

If you're busy taking photos, have your boyfriend put his thumb in. 

5. Make the filling, mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. This works best when the cream cheese is soft. 

6.Scoop the peppermint filling into the thumbprints, being careful not to overflow. If you overfill them, they will ooze and turn to caramel on the pan. You can decide if this is a good or bad thing. 

7. Bake 10-15 minutes or until they are done. I say this because so many people follow instructions too literally. You're oven is different than mine, so just see what the cookies tell you. You want the filling to just begin to bubble and turn a shade darker. That's when they're perfect for a nice glass of milk. 

Now take a picture of them in front of your pretty Christmas decorations!

Enjoy!