The Ultimate Candy Cookies Recipes

ULTIMATE CANDY BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place Butterfinger candy bars in a food processor; process until ground. In a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups ground candy bars until blended. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Shape into 1-in. balls; roll in remaining ground candy bars. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops are cracked., Immediately press a piece of candy into the center of each cookie. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw before serving.

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

CANDY COOKIES

Steps:

• Cover a baking sheet with the foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Roll out the cookie dough and cut out rounds. Use aspic cutters to cut out shapes within each circle. To make a hanging cookie, punch a hole in the top of each cookie with a chopstick. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and bake as directed. Halfway through the baking time, fill the holes with the crushed candy (do not overfill). Once thoroughly baked, repoke the hole at the top of the cookie. Cool, then thread with shoestring licorice or ribbon.

ULTIMATE LAYERED COOKIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Place a circle of parchment paper into the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan and grease the sides. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
• Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add flour, cake mix and salt and mix until well combined.
• Stir in sprinkles and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
• Press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool mostly in the cake pan, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Beat the shortening and butter until smooth.
• Slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
• Mix in the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp water.
• Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add more water to get the right consistency.
• Use a large serrated knife to remove the edges of the middle and bottom cookie layers, if needed. Sometimes the centers of the cookies fall a bit and it can be good to cut off the edges, so that the layers are even.
• Place bottom cookie on your cake plate.
• Top cookie with icing. I used my Ateco 844 icing tip to pipe a nice, thick layer.
• Top icing with next cookie, then add another layer of icing.
• Add last layer of cookie, then finish off by piping icing around the edges and adding sprinkles.