Epiphany / Christmas Cookies Aka: Wisemen Gifts Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (16 ounce) bag candy bars, bite size (Dove, Reeses, Andes Mints, Milky Way, OR Snickers)
• buttercream frosting
• 2 1/4 ounces yellow sugar (gold)
• 2 1/4 ounces blue sugar (frankincense)
• 2 1/4 ounces red sugar (myrrh)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup butter and 1 cup creamy peanut butter with 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Add 2 eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-egg mixture, mixing until well blended.
5. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
6. While the dough chills, unwrap the bite-sized chocolates and practice restraint when it comes to snacking.
7. Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease two cookie sheets.
8. Divide the chilled dough into 1 tablespoon pieces, roll each piece into a ball, and flatten it slightly in your hand.
9. Place one piece of chocolate candy in the center of each flattened dough piece, then carefully pull the dough around the candy to form a ball shape, ensuring the chocolate is completely covered.
10. Place the shaped cookie dough on the prepared cookie sheets and bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. Once baked, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once cooled, divide the cookies into three equal sets for decorating. Use a cake decorator writing tip or a zipper bag with the corner snipped off to add buttercream frosting decorations on top of each set: for the first set, pipe a spiral around the top and immediately sprinkle with one colored sugar; for the second set, create a flower shape and sprinkle with another color; and for the third set, make a criss-cross design and sprinkle with the final color.
12. Let the decorated cookies sit in a single layer to dry, then store them in a covered container with waxed paper between layers.