VGP #13 Peppermint Molasses Cookies

What? Yes, you read that right. It's nearly impossible to get more Christmasy than peppermint and spice cookies. Maybe that seems a strange combination - it did to me at first. But they compliment each other perfectly and the result is a holiday treat that could easily become a family tradition.

Tips:

- To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.
- To drizzle peppermint icing evenly, use a spoon or fork or something. I put it in a ziploc bag and snipped off one corner like a piping bag, but it kept getting clogged with candy pieces. The I cut the hole bigger and it fell out too fast in globs. Artistique, non? Well, it still tastes delicious.2/3 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy such as Starlights or candy canes

Peppermint icing (see recipe below)

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls or scoop with cookie scoop and place about 2 inches apart on buttered (or parchment-lined) baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 13 minutes. Allow to rest for about 1minute on sheet before moving to a wire cooling rack with spatula. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing.

Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 T milk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 T finely crushed hard peppermint candy and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired.

Makes about 3 dozen