Cashew Butter Blossom Cookies

Christmas Cake Murder

Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position

### Directions

* Prepare your cookie sheets by spraying them with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray or lining them with parchment paper.
	+ **Hannah's 1st Note:** *This recipe is easiest to make if you use an electric mixer to prepare this dough.*
* Place the white sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.
* Add the softened butter and mix on LOW until it's well blended, then beat on MEDIUM speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
* Mix in the half-cup of cashew butter and beat on MEDIUM speed until it is well incorporated.
	+ **Hannah's 2nd Note:** *Cashew butter is easier to measure if you spray the inside of the measuring cup with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray and also spray the blade of your rubber spatula. Pack the cashew butter down in the cup and level it off with the prepared spatula. The cooking spray makes it easier to get all the cashew butter out of your measuring cup. You can also use this pre-sprayed cup to measure the molasses.*
* Mix in the vanilla extract and the molasses. Beat until they are well incorporated.
* With the mixer running on LOW speed, sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
* Add the finely chopped cashews to the bowl and mix them in on LOW.
* Add the beaten eggs and mix those n thoroughly.
* Mix in the all-purpose flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition.
	+ **Hannah's 3rd Note:** *If you mix in your 4 cups of flour all at once, you may find it spews out of the bowl when you turn on your mixer and you end up with flour all over your kitchen floor!*
* Mix until all your ingredients are thoroughly blended and then shut off your mixer and scrape down the bowl.
* Take the bowl out of the mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with your rubber spatula and give your Cashew Butter Blossom Cookie dough a final stir by hand.
* Let the dough firm up for a few minutes on your kitchen counter as you sit down and enjoy a couple of the Hershey's Kisses or chocolate stars.
* Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet.
* Press the Hershey's Kisses or chocolate stars, point up, into the middle of your cookie balls, flat side down. They'll look like flowers or blossoms after they'r baked and that's why they're called Cashew Butter Blossom Cookies.
* Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. (Don't worry—That chocolate won't melt in that length of time.)
* Cool your cookies on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to wire racks to finish cooling.
	+ **Hannah's 4th Note:** *If you used parchment paper on your cookie sheets, just pull it off the cookie sheet, cookies and all, and onto a wire rack. The cookies can cool right on the paper.*

**Yield:** Makes approximately 8 dozen delicious cookies, depending on the size of the cookie dough balls. You can cut this recipe in half, but if you do, use 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.

#### Hannah's 5th Note

*If you have any chocolate stars or Hershey's Kisses left over, the baker deserves another treat!*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.