Minty Holiday Blossoms

I made the mistake of buying Hersheys Mint Kisses before Thanksgiving. We're now on our fifth bag in this house and it's still another week until Mr. Turkey comes for dinner. Anyway, I had this wild idea and decided to give it a shot. So, here's what I've created for a fun Holiday Cookie. I used Denise's sugar cookie recipe, which has to be one of the best ever and the concept of Peanut Blossoms (my favorite cookies until today). I made a few changes and voila... these delicious treats!

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. mint extract
8 or so drops of green food coloring

bowl of sugar
2 bags Hersheys Mint Kisses, unwrapped

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, soda and salt, alternately with milk. Add food coloring until green enough and mint extract. Mix well. Roll into balls (about a teaspoon) and then roll in the bowl of sugar until coated. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees. They will look undercooked. Do not overcook. While cookies are baking, unwrap all of the kisses and set aside in a bowl. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and wait about three minutes. Place a Candy Kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool completely before storing. Makes about 75 regular size cookies. Enjoy!

A few other thoughts...

The girls and I made the recipe without the mint and green to begin with. We just rolled the cookies in the sugar and placed the kisses after baking. Very tasty. BUT, do not place the kisses in the cookies until they've cooled for a few minutes or they will flatten. (That actually works out too, because they are easier to store without the kiss bumping off the top.) I'm also thinking that these would be really cute rolled in green or red sugar crystals for Christmas!

This dough is also perfect for fruit pizza!