Mrs Claus' Boozy Cookies

Welcome to another one of my boozy Christmas treats. This little quick tasty treat, and it comes direct from Mrs Santa Claus herself. I know my American bees like a good soft chewy cookie, and this is most definitely one! If you don't want to take my word for it, try it for yourself. 

It's yummy, scummy, and delightfully chewy,  A quote from a friend: "it tastes like candy in a cookie".

What you will need?

• 1 stick (½ cup) Butter (at  room temperature)
• 60g (¼ cup) Margarine
• ¾ cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 50g (¼ cup) Granulated Sugar
• 1½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 250g (2 cups) All-Purpose Flour (lightly scooped - not spooned - into your measuring cup)
• 50g Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• 130g (¾ cup) Milk or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 160g (1 cup) white chocolate chips
• 100g (½ cup) Red M&M's
• 100g (½ cup) Green M&M's

What you will need to do?

1	In mixing bowl beat together the butter, margarine, sugar & brown sugar until fluffy, starting slowly at about setting 3 or 4, then raising up to 5 or 6 (ensuring you cover with the lid).
2	Add egg & vanilla and beat well for one minute at speed 8, then add in flour, pudding mix, baking soda & salt, and stir slowly at first & then beat until all ingredients are completely incorporated.
3	Slowly stir in chocolate chips, and follow by folding in half of the M&M’s.

4	Remove cookie dough, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

5	The next day preheat oven you oven @ 350 degrees, then roll your dough into small balls ( it will be firm).
6	Place dough balls on baking sheet and bake cookies for 9-12 minutes (mine were perfect at 11).
7	Remove from the oven and immediately top each cookie with a few white chocolate chips & the remaining M&M’s before they cool.
8	Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet.
9	Start with a cold cookie sheet for each batch to ensure that the cookies bake consistently.

Rolled dough balls (makes ~20 cookies)

Filling

• 175g (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Green Food Coloring (optional) 
• 1 tsp Red Food Coloring (optional) 
• 3-4 Tsp Pink Gin 
• 1-2 Tsp Peppermint Twist 

1	Place your unsalted butter in mixing bowl and whisk until soft (for about a minute).
2	Add your sifted sugar one cup at a time - on a low speed - until all 4 cups have been incorporated. Turn to your whisk to medium high speed for 6-8 minutes until nice and creamy.  Add a little milk if needed.
3	Divide your simple buttercream frosting into two bowls, as evenly as you like, (if you prefer one flavor more than the other, go nuts!)
4	Optional: Add food coloring, 1 tsp in each bowl,  (I added red and green), then add your alcohol of your choosing, e.g. 2 tsp of Peppermint Schnapps in the green frosting, and 3-4 tsp Pink Gin in the red, stirring well in-between each teaspoon.
5	​Add the frosting into your piping bags, and pipe onto the back of one cookie, placing another cookie on top, Try and match the size of your cookie.

Tips, Tricks & Tiaras

• You should get around 20 cookies out of  your dough, depending how big you make them.​
• Sift the powered sugar well to prevent the buttercream from getting lumpy, 

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.