Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Festive Fudge Blossoms

Christmas is merely minutes away.  Or, at least that's what it feels like to me.  I am STILL baking and decorating cookies.  I have dozens and dozens of the sugary confections already decorating my dining room table so why on earth am I compelled to keep going?

Because it's Christmas dammit!  And this is the only time of year I can bake cookies with maniacal abandon and be totally normal.  So COME TO MY HOUSE AND EAT COOKIES PLEASE!!!
Who wouldn't love cookies for Christmas??


Anyway, where was I?  Oh yes, the origins of this particular recipe... It was my first Christmas in an apartment.  I was in college and had a BURNING desire to make some Christmas cookies.  But I was dirt poor and hadn't developed a fully-stocked pantry yet.  I needed a cookie recipe that didn't require me to go out and buy pounds and pounds of flour, sugar, and butter.  I needed quick, cheap, and easy.

I don't think it gets any faster, cheaper, or easier than cake mix.

Festive Fudge Blossoms
Recipe from Santa's Favorite Cookies cookbook

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened [FYI, I've tried both and find margarine easier to work with here]
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp water
3/4 to 1 cup FINELY chopped walnuts
Chocolate stars

1.  Preheat oven to 350.
Hard to tell from here but the margarine has been cut in.


2.  Using a dough cutter, fork, or whisk, cut the margarine into the cake mix in a large bowl until coarse crumbs form.  Stir in egg and water until well blended.
Dough doesn't look like this? Keep stirring.  It takes a little bit.


3.  Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls; roll in walnuts, pressing nuts gently into the dough.  Place about 2 inches apart onto an UNGREASED baking sheet.
I love walnuts.

4.  Bake cookies 12 minutes, or until puffed and nearly set.  Place a chocolate star in the center of each cookie and bake another minute.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies from baking sheets to wire rack to cool completely.
The chocolate cousins of Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Blossoms


Depending on how big you like your cookies, this recipe can yield between 2 and 4 dozen cookies.  I like A Cookie so I usually get a couple dozen.
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