Cappuccino Love Bites
(from Better Homes and Gardens CHRISTMAS COOKING FROM THE HEART--page 100)
These delightfully dainty cookies will make your kitchen smell like your favorite coffeehouse.
Prep: 25 minutes Chill: 1 hour
Bake 10 minutes per batch Oven: 350 degrees F.
Yield: 48 cookies
1 cup butter-flavor shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 Tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons instant coffee crystals
48 milk chocolate kisses with stripes (aka Hershey's HUGS)
1) In a large bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until mixture is combined scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, liqueur, and vanilla until combined. On low speed beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour by hand. If necessary, cover and chill dough in the refrigerator about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and coffee crystals. Roll dough balls in sugar mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
3) Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and sides are set; do NOT let edges brown. Upon removing from oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss with stripes into the center of each cookie. If desired, after chocolate softens and while chocolate is still warm, swirl it with your finger or a knife. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes from Caryn:
I used a 35-mm ice cream scoop to measure dough and put sugar-mixture covered balls on parchment-lined baking sheets.
For dipping I used 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon coffee crystals and had plenty for the entire recipe. I ended up with 52 cookies.
The sugar & coffee crystal mixture gives the outside of these cookies the look of being sprinkled with salt & pepper, but the taste blends in really well with the HUGS chocolate drop on top and the coffee liqueur in the dough. I didn't swirl my chocolate drop very much as I wanted to maintain the distinctive striping on top. These are good. I plan to whip up another batch tomorrow. Enjoy! Wigs
(from Better Homes and Gardens CHRISTMAS COOKING FROM THE HEART--page 100)
These delightfully dainty cookies will make your kitchen smell like your favorite coffeehouse.
Prep: 25 minutes Chill: 1 hour
Bake 10 minutes per batch Oven: 350 degrees F.
Yield: 48 cookies
1 cup butter-flavor shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 Tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons instant coffee crystals
48 milk chocolate kisses with stripes (aka Hershey's HUGS)
1) In a large bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until mixture is combined scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, liqueur, and vanilla until combined. On low speed beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour by hand. If necessary, cover and chill dough in the refrigerator about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and coffee crystals. Roll dough balls in sugar mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
3) Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and sides are set; do NOT let edges brown. Upon removing from oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss with stripes into the center of each cookie. If desired, after chocolate softens and while chocolate is still warm, swirl it with your finger or a knife. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes from Caryn:
I used a 35-mm ice cream scoop to measure dough and put sugar-mixture covered balls on parchment-lined baking sheets.
For dipping I used 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon coffee crystals and had plenty for the entire recipe. I ended up with 52 cookies.
The sugar & coffee crystal mixture gives the outside of these cookies the look of being sprinkled with salt & pepper, but the taste blends in really well with the HUGS chocolate drop on top and the coffee liqueur in the dough. I didn't swirl my chocolate drop very much as I wanted to maintain the distinctive striping on top. These are good. I plan to whip up another batch tomorrow. Enjoy! Wigs