bluegeek | December Days of Happy #13

Today's happy things are cookie recipes. I may even have time to make a batch of something tomorrow, who knows?

Kiss Cookies (aka Chocolate Filled Bonbons)
Makes ~40 cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. crisco
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
Hershey's kisses (~40)(may use alternative type of chocolate, use whatever you have available)
Mixture of 1/2 granulated sugar and 1/2 confectioner's sugar

Instructions:
Cream crosco and sugar. Blend in vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix until blended. Wrap ~ 2 tsp dough around each kiss. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes (cookies will brown on the bottoms only). Remove from oven and immediately roll in the sugar mixture and set aside to cool.

Pecan Balls
Makes ~ 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. margarine
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. sifted flour
2 c. chopped pecans
Mixture of 1/2 granulated sugar and 1/2 confectioner's sugar

Instructions:
Cream margarine, sugar, and flour. Add pecans and mix well. Use ~ 1 Tbsp dough for each cookie and shape into balls. Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F on an ungreased cookie sheet for ~45 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately roll in the sugar mixture and set aside to cool.

Easy-Peasy Palmiers (aka Elephant Ears)
(Yes, I totally cheat!)
Makes ~ 2-3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
granulated sugar
Puff pastry sheets
parchment paper

Instructions:
Spread sugar over workstation. Lay out softened (though not completely thawed) puff pastry dough. Cover with more sugar. Roll one side of dough inwards towards center, stopped at approx. halfway. Roll opposite side towards center until it meets the first roll. Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes to harden. Once firm, slice log into ~ 1/2 inch thick slices, gently roll both sides in sugar, and place on baking sheet lines with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until sugar caramelizes and edges brown.