Poinsettia Blossom Cookies

Total Time: 53 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package red jell-o, dry
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• red sugar crystals
• 36 miniature m&m's chocolate candies (yellow)
• 1/2 cup frosting, if using

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 in bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, dry jell-o powder, eggs and extract. add baking powder, salt, and food coloring. add flour and mix well. cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 2 hours or until dough is firm. shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls and roll in red-colored sugar. place balls about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. using a sharp knife, make cuts in top of each ball, not quite all the way through, to make 6 pie-shaped wedges. spread wedges apart very slightly to form flower petals; cookies will separate and flatten as they bake. bake 8-10 minutes or until set. if using candies, immediately press one candy in center of each cookie. let cookies cool on baking sheet a minute and then remove to wire rack to cool completely. if not using candies, pipe a dab of prepared cake frosting in center of each cookie when they are completely cooled.