By:  Cassie Brown, Contributing Writer

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Winter break: a time to relax with family, sing Christmas songs, show off how happy you are to your high school friends, attend holiday parties, and eat a TON of food. Chances are, the kitchen is a commotion of sounds and smells. Grandma is slaving over her highly anticipated ham while mom is frantically trying to keep “her” kitchen clean. You are anxiously pacing the kitchen because you are supposed to bring over the dessert for your holiday party with your friends in three hours. Here is a quick and easy recipe that will show you how to make delicious cookies that your friends will wolf-down in minutes.

Candy Cane Blossoms

From www.withsprinklesontop.net

Ingredients:

1 bag Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Kisses

½ cup salted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons milk

red and green colored sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.
4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies are set.
6. While cookies are baking, remove wrappers from the kisses.
7. Remove from oven; cool 1 minute. Press the kisses into the center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Yields approximately 35 cookies