Red Hot Cookies
The ultimate sweet and spicy treat, Red Hot Cookies combine buttery dough with a delightful crunch of crushed candies. Perfect for any gathering, these cookies are sure to impress your friends and family. Try making them tonight for a unique dessert experience!
Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Red Hots crushed
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 whole egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. This step is crucial as it prepares your baking environment. The right temperature ensures the cookies bake evenly, so don’t skip this part. While the oven heats, prepare your baking sheets. Use light-colored trays for the best results; grease them with non-stick cooking spray, or line them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Take the Red Hots and place them in a plastic food storage bag. This is a fun step! Use a rolling pin to crush the candies into smaller pieces. You want them to be well crushed but not turned into a powder. Set these aside for later.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer. You’re aiming for a light and fluffy texture here, which usually takes about two to three minutes. Once it’s creamy and pale, add in the vanilla extract and egg, mixing until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is blending together well.
- In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients except for the powdered sugar. This includes the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give them a quick stir to mix thoroughly. Slowly add this to the wet ingredient mixture, mixing gently until just combined. It’s important not to overmix at this stage; you want it to be a little lumpy.
- Now, fold in the crushed Red Hots, ensuring they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. This is where the fun begins as the bright color and unique crunch of the candies mix into the soft, buttery dough.
- Next, pour the powdered sugar onto a large plate. Using a heaping teaspoon, roll the dough into balls and then roll those balls in the powdered sugar. This gives the cookies a lovely sweet coating that adds to their charm. Place the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart.
- Now it’s time to bake! Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to barely brown and the tops look matte rather than shiny. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes to avoid overbaking.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about three minutes. This cooling time is essential, as it allows them to set before transferring them to a cooling rack. After that, you can enjoy them warm or allow them to cool completely.
Notes
- Tip: If using a darker nonstick baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.