Chocolate Walnut Hedgehog Cookies
DESCRIPTION
These whimsical, delicious creations are almost as much fun to decorate as they are to devour!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup California walnuts
Preparation
- Combine butter and sugar In a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
- Spread a long piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and dump dough into the center of the plastic. Form dough into a long rectangle and gather the long ends of the plastic wrap around the dough to form a long tube shape. Roll dough in plastic to create and even tube, 12 inches in length. Pinch one side of the long sides of the dough to create a pointed ridge. Refrigerate wrapped dough for at least one hour until dough is firm.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove chilled dough from plastic wrap and slice cookies about 1/2" thick. Each cookie should have a teardrop shape with one rounded side and a point. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cookies should be set but not brown.
- Place cookies on wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, place California walnuts in a food processor and chop for about 20 seconds. Melt chocolate chips according to package directions.
- To decorate cookies to resemble hedgehogs, spread melted chocolate over the rounded part of each cookie. Roll cookie in chopped walnuts. Place cookie on waxed paper to set. Use a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate to dot on eyes and a nose. Repeat with remaining cookies. Allow cookies to cool completely before serving.