Take a candy, wrap cookie dough around it, bake, swirl in frosting and shower with sprinkles: It’s a Christmas cookie just made for kids to make a mess with.

The recipe comes from “Betty Crocker’s Baking Classics,” a book I bought in the 1980s but now is out of print. That’s a shame, because it’s a handy little volume, thin but packed with favorites. Or, at least, they used to be favorites before I switched to egg-free baking. Some recipes I haven’t converted yet.

The bonbon cookie recipe, though, was egg-free from the state. The only challenge these days is finding allergy-safe materials for the center.

Back in the old days, I used walnut halves, macadamias, Brach’s chocolate stars, dates and maraschino cherries. Big Guy’s allergic to the first three (the stars carry a peanut warning) and evokes the “ewwwwwwww” response to dates.

So we settled for maraschino cherries (that classic formaldehyde taste plus more Red 40 than I like but I wink a bit at that ban this time of year) and plain Hershey kisses with the tip removed. Conveniently, I had both of these left over from recent cookie projects.

The only hitch to this recipe — aside from chasing sprinkles out of the kitchen until April — is the dough’s a bit of a judgment call. Sometimes you’ll need to add an extra tablespoon or two of milk if it looks dry. Proceed carefully, though. If it’s too wet, it will slide off as it bakes.

Egg-free bonbon cookies.

• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tbl. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour — do not substitute self-rising
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Mix powdered sugar, butter or margarine or vanilla — I use a mixer on slow speed. Work in flour and salt until dough holds together. If it seems dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk.

For each cookie, shape a tablespoon of dough around a candy, nut or cherry. Place an inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until set but not brown, 12 to 15 minutes (16 on AirBake). Cool, dip tops of cookies in glaze, then top with coconut, colored sugar or sprinkles.

Glaze:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tbl. plus 1 1/2 tsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix until smooth. Add food coloring if you want.

More egg-free cookies

Copyright 2008 Debra Legg. All rights reserved.

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