melted snowmen cookies

The weather outside is frightful … so why not cook up some fun indoors. I made these for a few Christmas parties and they were quite the hit. Easy and adorable, you can’t go wrong with this cookie crowd pleaser.

Melted Snowmen Cookies, recipe courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup  shortening
• 1/2 cup  peanut butter
• 1/2 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon  salt
• 1/8 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons  milk
• 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla
• 1/4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 1 pound  vanilla-flavored candy coating, coarsely chopped (I substituted Fluff for this)
• 20 bite-size chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped
•  Brown and orange sprinkles or other candies and/or tinted frosting (I used black gel)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Shape dough into twenty 1 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are just firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

4. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Place cooled cookies on prepared baking sheet. In a medium microwave-safe bowl microwave candy coating on 50% power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Spoon melted coating over each cookie to cover cookie and resemble melted snow. While coating is still tacky, add a peanut butter cup for a top hat and decorate with sprinkles or other candies to resemble snowman faces (If using frosting to make snowman faces, add it when the candy coating is dry.) Let stand until set.