1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
2 to 3 drops red food coloring (or more to achieve desired results)
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup finely crushed red-hot candies*
FROSTING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2-3 tsp milk
Additional red-hot candies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in egg and food coloring. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in red-hots. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of dough into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. With a sharp knife, pastry wheel or pizza wheel, cut dough into 2-in. squares. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Cut through dough from each corner of square to within 1/2 in. of center. Fold alternating points of square to center to form a pinwheel; pinch gently at center to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 7-9 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Combine the confectioners' sugar and milk. Pipe 1/2 teaspoon frosting in center of each cookie; top with red-hot candy.
(Photo Credit: Taste of Home)
(*) Our red hot candies would not break down in the food processor!!! They were tough little suckers! Instead, I placed them in a plastic baggie, and gave the kids permission to beat the heck out of them with a rolling pin. It was a whole lotta fun for them - although a little stressful for me, since I mistakenly forgot that I had a glass kitchen table under the protective plastic tablecloth. Oops. I did the assembly of the poinsettia leaves because it seemed like it would be a little too complicated for the kiddos to handle.
The cookies came out moist and delicious - not unlike a plain sugar cookie. I was expecting more cinamon flavor from the red hots, but loved the color and texture the candies gave.
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