Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, I love that lady's site!  I have been wanting to make these cookies since last winter and just never got around to it, but this year was not going to pass me by without making them.  They were super easy to throw together, chilled in the fridge for an hour and turned out very cute and very yummy!  They were the perfect treat to take to friends and co-workers. 

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

2 sticks butter (1 cup) slightly softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
4 oz (4 squares) vanilla almond bark or white baking chocolate (vanilla almond bark works better and its much cheaper)
Large handful red or green peppermints or candy canes

Cream softened butter with powdered sugar.  Add egg and vanilla and mix to combine.  Add dry ingredients and mix together until dough comes together.  Place plastic wrap directly on dough and refrigerate for 2 hours.  (I was impatient and pulled the dough out after 1 hour and it worked just fine!)

In the meantime, unwrap candies and place them in a plastic bag.  Beat with a mallet or rolling pin until crushed.  You can crush them finely but I left some smaller chunks and thouht they looked better that way. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll cookie dough in walnut sized pieces and place on a cookie sheet.  Gently press balls flat with a plain, smooth surface.  Bake for 7-9 minutes, being careful not to burn.  Cookies will remain the same general size and shape after they bake.  Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. 

Place crushed candies in a bowl.  Microwave almond bark in 15 second intervals, stirring each time.  Dip cooled cookies in almond bark coating half the cookie.  Then sprinkle or dip into peppermints.  Gently set them on parchment or another non stick surface until they are cool before serving.  Makes about 30-35 cookies.