Festive Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces white chocolate
• 2 teaspoons shortening
• 1/2 cup candy cane, crushed (peppermint)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. 2

   Grease cookie sheets.

3. 3

   Beat the first two ingredients on medium speed for 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add sugar & baking powder, then egg, milk and vanilla.

5. 5

   Beat well in mixer.

6. 6

   Beat in cocoa powder and as much flour as you can with the mixer.

7. 7

   Stir in remaining flour.

8. 8

   Divide dough in half.

9. 9

   Cover, chill at least one hour.

10. 10

    Working with piece of the dough at a time, roll into slightly less than 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface.

11. 11

    Using a candy cane cookie cutter cut dough.

12. 12

    Place one inch apart on greased cookie sheet.

13. 13

    Bake 7 - 9 minutes until firm and lightly browned.

14. 14

    Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wired rack.

15. 15

    Heat white chocolate and 2 tsp of shortening in small saucepan over low heat until melted, stirring often (although I microwave on low heat for 30 second intervals until melted, stirring in between).

16. 16

    Pour melted chocolate into freezer quart sized ziploc bag (I used freezer kind because it was thicker). Clip a small bit off one corner to create a hole in the bag. Then gently squeeze the bag drizzling the chocolate through the hole on to the cookies.

17. 17

    Sprinkle on crushed candy-canes (quickly before chocolate hardens!).

18. 18

    Let stand until set.