Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies

By srumbel

Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies - easy, whimsical and eye-catching, these incredibly delicious cookies have a buttery shortbread base and a sprinkle coating, topped with a Hershey's candy-cane kiss.
from thecafesucrefarine.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup color nonpareil sprinkles
• 1 10-ounce bag Hershey's Holiday Candy Cane Kisses

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F. Pour sprinkles into shallow bowl. Unwrap Candy Cane Kisses
Combine butter, sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
Add flour; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
Shape dough into small 1-inch balls (I use a small ice cream scoop).
Roll balls of dough in sprinkles, patting sprinkles gently onto any areas where sprinkles have not adhered. You want to have the little balls covered with sprinkles.
Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 14-18 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from oven and quickly place a kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down about ¼ inch into the cookie. Let stand 5 minutes on cookie sheets, the carefully remove to cooling rack. Cool completely before moving or touching. The kisses will take a while to firm up. If you try to move them too soon the kisses will collapse or distort in shape.