Cookies or Candy you decide for yourself.  These delicious little Bon Bon Cookies are easy to make ahead and give as gifts.  Add flavorings to the dough or change the filling to suit your own taste.  My favorites are bourbon marinated cherries wrapped in chocolate dough dipped in chocolate ganache, and mint flavored dough wrapped around Andes Mints topped with Melted 56% Callebaut Chocolate.  Feel free to play with the dough flavors and fillings to make your own creations.  Who said cooking and baking isn’t creative, easy, and fun!

Note: I’m writing this exactly as written with (my notes) from the Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook.

Bon Bon Cookies Bake them like cookies. Eat them like candies.  Created by a true westerner, Mrs. Joesph J. Wallace, high in her Rocky Mountain home near Whitehall, Montana.  (See color picture, opposite.)

Ingredients                                      Measure

• Butter (unsalted, room temp)         ½ cup
• Powder Sugar (sifted)                    ¾ cup
• Pure Vanilla Extract                       1 Tbsp.
• Food Coloring (optional)                (enough for desired color)
• Gold Medal All Purpose Flour          1 ½ cup
• Salt                                             1/8 tsp.

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.

1. In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, powder sugar, vanilla, and food color.  Add the all purpose flour and salt and mix to combine well.  If the dough is dry, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of cream.
2. Wrap a level Tbsp. of dough around filling (a candied or well drained maraschino cherry, pitted date, nut or chocolate pieces).
3. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined sheet tray
4. Bake at 350° degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.
5. Dip top of cookies in Icing (below).  Decorate with sprinkle or nuts if desired. Makes 20 to 25 cookies.

Chocolate Dough: Omit food coloring; blend in 1 sq. unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.), melted.
Penuche Dough: Use ½ cup brown sugar (packed) in place of powder sugar.  Omit food coloring.
Icing: Mix 1 cup of sifted powder sugar, 2 Tbsp. cream, 1 tsp. vanilla and food coloring, if desired.
Chocolate Icing: Add ¼ cup of semi-sweet Callebaut Chocolate (55% to 65%), that is finely chopped, to  ¼ cup  heavy cream that has been brought to a boil.  Stir together until well blended.  Cool until slightly thicken before dipping.