Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

 Yield 20 cookies

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup candy canes - crush fine
Optional -Red and green sugar sprinkles

Directions 

1. Crush enough candy canes to make 3/4 cups course powder.  
2. Mix 1/2 cup crushed candy cane powder with cream cheese.  Once fully mixed put into a zip lock sandwich bag and push to the tip of one side.  Chill in frig until cookie mixture is prepared. 
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
4. Mix together softened butter, vanilla until creamy. Add powdered sugar to the butter mixture.  Once incorporated add salt and flour.  Mix.  
5. Add small amounts of water, tablespoon at a time, until the dough sticks together but is not sticky.
6. Prepare cookie sheets with nonstick spray or silicone mat. 
7. Scoop dough into a small cookie scooper.
8. Place your thumb in the middle of the dough, still in the scooper, to make a well for the cream cheese mixture.
9. Take cream cheese bag out of the frig an cut the tip of the bag 1/4 inch back. Squeeze a small amount of the mixture in the well. Just a small amount like the size of a pea or edamema.
10. Pinch the cookie dough tightly around the candy can mixture to seal it inside. Release from scoop and roll ball in your hands to make a round ball.  Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. 
11. Mix remaining powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies in a small bowl.  You can add red and green sugar to the mixture if desired.
12. As soon as the cookies are finished cooking, take out of oven and carefully cover with the powdered sugar.  
13. Cool on cooling rack, not a a solid surface.