Red Velvet Thumbprints

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1  eggs 
• 4 teaspoons food coloring red
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 11 oz peppermint candies white ( 2 cups)

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• wooden spoon
• ziploc bags
• microwave

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until creamy. Stir in egg, food coloring and vanilla until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, cocoa and salt until blended.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb into center of each cookie to make indentation, but do not press all the way to the cookie sheet.
4. Bake 12 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; quickly remake indentations with end of wooden spoon, if necessary.
5. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
6. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white baking chips uncovered on High 30 to 50 seconds, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth. Spoon melted chips into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag.
7. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Twist bag above melted chips. Squeeze bag to fill each thumbprint cookie.
8. Let stand until set.