Festive Fun with Cookies and Cocoa

Treat your holiday guests to something special this Christmas. From mouth-watering spritz cookie recipes that will outshine the rest, to delicious hot cocoa boosted with salted caramel and an edible candy spoon on the side, you’ll be the host with the most in no time at all.

Spritz Cookies with a Little Glitz
You know gingerbread and sugar cookie, but do you recall the most impressive cookie of all? Spritz cookies are fast and fun. Use a Wilton Cookie Press to make dozens of delicious, perfectly-shaped uniform cookies quickly. Add a spritz of edible silver or gold Color Mist Food Color Spray to make them shiny and bright.

Santa’s Favorite Spritz Cookie
Indulge Santa’s sweet tooth with decadent chocolate spritz cookie sandwiches filled with a layer of peppermint icing. Take a shortcut by using decorator icing that is already flavored and ready to squeeze, perfect for the time-crunched holidays.

Ho-Ho-Hot Cocoa with a Twist
There’s nothing quite as comforting as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day, but add a dash of salted caramel flavor and you’re in for a real treat. Made with velvety Dark Cocoa Candy Melts candy, steamed milk and a splash of Treatology Salted Caramel flavor, this cocoa offers just the right balance of salty and sweet.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookie Spoons
The delicious taste of sweet, baked Christmas cookies is captured in the Limited Edition Sugar Cookie Flavor Candy Melts candy and made into edible candy spoons with a microwaveable Spoon-Shaped Silicone Candy Mold.

For more holiday ideas and inspiration, visit wilton.com.

Sugar Cookie Candy Spoons

Ingredients

• Wilton Sugar Cookie Candy Melts Candy (12-ounce bag)
• Wilton Christmas Candy Spoon Mold
• Wilton 12-inch Disposable Decorating Bags

Preparation

1. Break 12 candy wafers in half and place in cavities of mold. Place mold in microwave and microwave at half power or defrost setting for 1 minute. Gently jiggle and lightly tap mold to smooth melted candy. Continue to microwave and tap at 30-second intervals until smooth and completely melted.
2. Alternate melting method: Melt candy in disposable decorating bag according to candy package directions. Snip a small tip off end of bag and gently squeeze bag to fill cavities with melted candy.
3. Chill filled mold until candy spoons have hardened, about 10-15 minutes. Place mold on flat surface and gently push on bottom of cavities to release candy.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup Dark Cocoa Candy Melts Candy
• 1/4 teaspoon Wilton Treatology Salted Caramel Flavor Concentrate

Preparation

1. In large saucepan, cook milk on medium heat until hot; remove from heat. Whisk in candy and flavor concentrate. Continue whisking until candy is melted and mixture is smooth. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Peppermint Spritz Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 eggs
• Wilton Peppermint Decorating Icing

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough.
4. Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Cool cookies on pan on cooling grid 2 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid.
5. Sandwich cookies together with Peppermint Decorating Icing.

Metallic Spritz Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon Wilton Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Wilton Imitation Almond Extract
• Silver Color Mist Food Color Spray
• Gold Color Mist Food Color Spray
• Buttercream icing
• Wilton Silver Sugar Pearls
• Wilton Gold Sugar Pearls

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
3. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and extracts; mix well. Gradually add flour to butter mixture, mixing to make smooth dough. Do not chill.
4. Place dough into cookie press using an 8-petal flower disk and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool cookies on pan on cooling grid 2 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid. You will need two cookies per treat.
5. Use silver or gold Color Mist food color spray to spray cookies. Let dry, about 3-5 minutes. Turn cookies over and spray underside. Let dry, about 3-5 minutes.
6. Prepare buttercream icing or use pre-made buttercream icing. Use tip 12, cut disposable decorating bag and icing to pipe elongated beads on bottom of one cookie, following cookie shape. Sandwich two cookies together.
7. Use tip 4, cut disposable decorating bag and icing to pipe a dot in center of sandwich cookie. Top dot with either silver or gold sugar pearls.

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