The easiest way to make cute Hot Chocolate Cookie Mugs with Candy Cane handles! Use a storebought mix and icing, and you'll be the hit of the Christmas cookie swap.
Mini Tart Tamper (or the back of a Tablespoon will work in a pinch)
1 Quart or Gallon size Ziploc bag
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIE CUPS
1package Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix (17 oz package)
1stick butter
1egg
4dropsPeppermint Essential Oil(I used Young Living)
Nonstick cooking spray(I used Pam)
FOR THE FILLING AND DECORATION
24-30Mini Candy Canes(I used Brachs)
1canHershey Chocolate Frosting16 oz can
4dropsPeppermint essential
2squaresWhite chocolate barkmelted
Instructions
TO BAKE
Follow the recipe on the back of the cookie mix for "DROP COOKIES" (butter, egg, mix) and mix well until a stiff dough forms.
Add about 4 drops peppermint essential oil (optional) to cookie dough and mix thoroughly
Scoop out 1 Tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball shape
Fill a greased, non-stick mini-muffin pan with 1 dough ball per hole. Even though it's non-stick, you still need to spritz each hole of the mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray before adding dough so they will slide out easier at the end.
Bake for 7-9 minutes until the edges of each cup are golden brown. Stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, they are done.
Working quickly before the cookies set up, firmly press a rounded tart tamper or the back of a round Tablespoon down into the center of each cup to form a bowl shape.
While the tamper or spoon is still pressed into the cookie cup, slide a small knife down the side of the muffin cup and gently lift the whole cup out. The spoon will help it hold its shape while you are transferring them to a cooling rack. Be sure to remove all the cookies ASAP straight out of the oven. Do not let them sit inside the muffin tins and cool down or you will not be able to remove them easily without breaking later.
Cool completely on a wire baking rack before icing.
TO DECORATE
On a cutting board with a sharp knife, cut the candy canes just past the bend, leaving a longer straight piece for the straw and the curved piece for the handle of the cup.
Dip each end of the "handle" into white chocolate and hang it on the lip of each cookie cup.
Mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil into 1 can of Hershey's chocolate frosting. This is optional but it makes it taste like peppermint hot chocolate!
Scrape the can of frosting into a gallon size Ziploc bag and snip off a small piece of one corner.
Pipe the chocolate icing into each cookie cup.
Stick the straight end of the candy cane opposite the handle to resemble a straw.