Butter Ball Kisses

This cookie does not have the peanut butter in the dough, like the Blossom cookies, but are more of a shortbread type cookie dough. You can "dress them up" by drizzling melted white or chocolate chips over the tops, you can also substitute the kiss with Andes Mints or a chocolate star - lots of variations possible with this basic shortbread type cookie dough....

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound butter, softened
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• about 36 chocolate kisses, wrappers removed
• white or crystallized sugar for dipping dough balls into

Directions

1. With wooden spoon, cream butter until fluffy.
2. Stir in sugar and extract, beating by hand to incorporate it into butter.
3. Stir in flour, mixing until well blended.
4. Batter will be very stiff.
5. Taking about 1 tablespoon of dough in your hand, squeeze it into a compact mass, and roll into a ball with the palms of your hands (balls should be about 1½" in diameter).
6. Roll balls in sugar. then place them on ungreased cookie sheet and place a kiss or star in the middle of each, pressing it into the ball very lightly.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes, until cookie is just barely browned on the bottom and around edges.
8. Cool cookies on wire rack before storing in an airtight container.

NOTE: Good suggestion from Lasaf - use some of the delicious flavored kisses available these days...raspberry, caramel, mint...so many flavors, you could change the flavor of these little buttery cookies with each batch!