Peppermint shortbread cookies

Ever since the holiday season hit I've had a taste for crispy buttery shortbread with mint & chocolate. Sounds good, right? I searched all my favorite food blogs looking for a recipe that would meet my need, no avail. I searched my tried & true cookbooks, only to be left wanting more.

So what does a good Kitchen Witch do when she has a very craving and no recipe that fills the need? She casts her spell & comes up with one of her own, of course!

It just so happens that we got snow last weekend. Lots of snow. It also so happens that we spent the day at a close friends house, the same good friends who have mad love for the York Peppermint patty. Ah ha! Could this be the time that I make the cookies?? I have a willing test audience and the peppermint patties, festive weather, all signs pointed to YES so the cookies were a GO! And they were a big hit too!

With out further adieu I present to you Peppermint Shortbread cookies.

2 sticks butter room temp
1 c white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3.5 to 4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
30 bite sized York Peppermint Patties, unwrapped (You'll want a few extra for the cook to munch on of course)
colored sugars for sprinkling, optional

cream the butter in a stand mixer. Add sugar & allow to beat until light & fluffy. Add egg & vanilla, mix until thick & creamy. Slowly add dry ingredients (sifted together) until you have a very thick dough. This should be like play dough, very stiff. Add more flour if yours isn't quite thick enough.

Scoop dough into 1T balls, flatten with bottom of cup dipped in sugar (to prevent sticking to cup). Place a peppermint patty in the center of each flattened round. With fingers push the sides of the cookie up around the patty, so the patty is nestled in the cookie dough.

Bake at 350* for 15 min. Sprinkle with colored sugars as soon as removed from oven. Allow to cool on tray for 2 min. then transfer to a cooling rack.