Chocolate-candy Cane Cookies

Total Time: 12 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (250 g) package philadelphia brick cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 squares baker's semisweet chocolate, melted
• 6 squares baker's chocolate
• 12 hard peppermint candies, crushed

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. add flour and baking soda; mix well. blend in semisweet chocolate.
• 2 shape tablespoons of dough into 52 balls. roll each into 3-inch long rope, place, 2-inches apart on baking sheets, bending top of each slightly to resemble a candy cane.
• 3 bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned; cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. transfer to wire racks; cool completely.
• 4 microwave chocolate as directed on package. drizzle over cookies. sprinkle with crushed candies. let stand until chocolate is firm.
• 5 note: a minute or two can make the difference between perfectly baked cookies and over-baked cookies. since oven temperatures can vary, check cookies at the lowest bake time and remove from the oven when tops are lightly browned and centers are just set.