Minty Melts

By LimericksLady

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups melted butter
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 drops red food coloring
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar for later

Details

Servings 96

Preparation

Step 1

In the original recipe, these cookies are partially dipped in chocolate. If I don't feel like dipping and drying all those cookies, I take a little shortcut you might want to try someday. Right before I mix the flour into the cookie dough, I add a 12-ounce (2 cups) package of mini chocolate chips. Once the flour is mixed in, chill the dough and bake according to the original directions.
Melt the butter in a large microwave bowl. Add the sugar and stir. Then add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, and peppermint extract, stirring after each additions.
Add the red food coloring, stir it in, and then check the color of the dough. It should be bright pink. If the color's too pale, add another drop or two of food coloring and stir in thoroughly.
Add flour in one-cup increments, stirring after each one. The dough will be quite stiff.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. rack in the middle position.
Place the 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl.
Roll the chilled dough into walnut-sized balls. Roll the balls in sugar so the whole ball is covered.
Place the dough balls on the cookie sheets, 12 to a sheet. Press the balls down a little with a metal spatula so they won't roll off.
Bake 10-12 minutes. They will flatten out the rest of the way by themselves.
Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheets, and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.