Galaxy Cookies

IAteMyGluestick's Note:

I got this recipe from my mother and my favorite cookbook, Betty Crocker's Cookbook. These beautiful cookies are always a hit at parties because they look like little bonbons. These cookies are great to make for children, and it's easy to let them help out.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 25 cookies

Cookie

• ½ cup butter or ½ cup margarine , softened
• ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• food coloring
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄8; teaspoon salt
• dates (anything you want to put in the middle, Coconut, nuts, colored sugar, candies, chocolate pieces)

Icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons light cream or 1 ½ tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
2. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, vanilla, and, if desired, a few drops of food coloring.
3. Work in salt and flour until dough holds together.
4. If dough is dry, mix in 1 to 2 Tbsp light cream.
5. Mold dough by tablespoonfuls around date, nut, candy, cherry, or a few chocolate pieces.
6. Roll into balls.
7. Place cookies about 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes until set but not brown.
9. Prepare icing by mixing confectioners sugar with light cream or milk and vanilla until smooth.
10. If desired, stir in a few drops of food coloring.
11. For a tasty chocolate icing, increase light cream to 3 tbsp and stir in 1 oz melted unsweetened chocolate.
12. Let cookies cool, then dip tops of cookies into icing several times to get a good layer.
13. If desired, immediately decorate with coconut, nuts, colored sugar, candies, chocolate pieces or chocolate shot.
14. Makes 20 to 25 cookies.
15. Variations: Brown Sugar Galaxy Cookies: Substitute 1/2 c brown sugar (packed) for the confectioners' sugar and omit food color.
16. Chocolate Galaxy Cookies: Omit food color and stir in 1 oz melted unsweetened chocolate (cooled) into butter mixture.

Reviews

[Beaver]

This is the greatest cookie I have ever tasted

[Smilyn]

So I am giving this a four star rating. I am so mixed about this recipe. The recipe is easy and simple - HOWEVER, when I first made them the dough didn't come together. So I added liquid in and needed to add more. Finally, I was able to get the dough together. I stuck them in the oven, hoping for the bonbon apperance. Well, the looked a little like flat bonbons. I was a bit disappointed, but the cookies tasted good. I stuck a chocolate kiss inside for a kindergarten class "holiday" party. Hubby had one right before I took them over to the class. They are super easy to decorate. I did another batch for Christmas cookies for my neighbors and friends. Again, the dough just didn't want to work with me. It was VERY dry. Well, I thought I could stick them in the fridge for 1/2 hour or so to get them more "bonbon" look-a-like. That seemed to work WAY better. I left them out for a few hours after baking and they were hard. Now, I'm not sure why they got so hard after only a few hours, but I am trying to soften them up a little by sticking them in a bag with a piece of bread, which should work. Overall, I would use these cookies again after making a few changes. I usually don't write this detailed about a recipe, but I want others to know what worked and what didn't in this case. BTW, I love the photo by Detailedbeauty - awesome decorating! Merry Christmas!

[Detailedbeauty]

Hey hey! I was JUST about to list this recipe and I found it....lol oops oh well. I've got a pic for it! Everyone...these cookies are the BOMB! Without the icing they are quite dull, but somehow you decorate them and they taste AWESOME. Just the right mix of sweet and smooth....my favorite is DEFINATELY the marachino cherry in the middle. However I've thought of maybe putting in some chocolate truffle and see if that works. These are GREAT for kids parties...especially boys! Enjoy! Rebecca