Chocolate Holiday Bears

Yield: 20 servings, 1 cookie each

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (4 serving size) box Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 3 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate decorations*

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
3. Combine remaining dry ingredients. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Form into ball. (Refrigerate for up to 1 hour if dough is too soft to roll out.)
4. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch-thickness. Cut out dough using 4-inch "bear" cookie cutter or other 4-inch holiday cookie cutter; place on greased baking sheets. Reroll scraps and use to cut additional cookies as needed.
5. Decorate cutouts with small candies, raisins or sprinkles for eyes, mouth and buttons, pressing in lightly.
6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until slightly firm.
7. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks.
8. Melt chocolate in microwavable bowl on MEDIUM for 2 minutes. Spread on bottom half of bears for pants or skirts; use as "glue" to attach more decorations.

Notes

* such as assorted small candies, raisins, sprinkles, colored sugars or Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows

These cookies make great place cards at any holiday gathering. Using frosting and candies, decorate the cookies with the names of the people attending. After decorations have set, place cookies at the appropriate places around the table.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 200 Total fat 9g Saturated fat 5g Cholesterol 25mg Sodium 200mg Carbohydrate 28g Dietary fiber 1g Sugars 17g Protein 2g

Vitamin A 4% DV Vitamin C 0% DV Calcium 0% DV Iron 6% DV

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Kraft Heinz Company