Peppermint Snowballs

* Pamela *'s Note:

Great for Christmas Bake Exchanges! From Parents Magazine December 2003.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 dozen

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oat
• 1/4 cup candy cane, crushed
• 12 -15 drops red food coloring
• icing sugar, for rolling

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F
2. In large bowl, with mixer on high, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Beat in vanilla and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low, and beat in flour (dough will be very dry). Beat in oats, crushed candy canes, and 12-15 drops of red food coloring. Shape heaping teaspoons of dough into balls, place on ungreased baking sheets 1/2 inch apart, and bake 15 to 18 minutes per batch.
4. Place icing sugar in large bowl. Roll hot cookies in sugar, let cool completely, and repeat.

Reviews

[blairie]

Very festive and pretty! I added 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract as some reviewers suggested. Rolling hot cookies in the sugar does create a pretty glaze. I've also dusted the cooled cookies with extra powdere sugar.

[pies & cakes & cookies ohmy!]

This is very similar to my almond snowballs, so I set the oven to 350* and the timer for 15 and they came out just fine. I added 1/2 tsp. of peppermint extract at some others' suggestions and it made them just minty enough. I also added some red sanding sugar to my confectioners sugar for rolling and it gave them a very festive look. This is a fine recipe. Thanks for posting.

[Smiles3]

the icing sugar on the outside created the greatest glaze i have ever tasted definitley a great recipe to get rid of all those extra candy canses laying around after christmas although i used spearmint and vanilla mint candy canes