Bon Bon Cookies

Bon Bon Cookies is a beloved Betty Crocker recipe from the 50s. They're as good today as they were then.

Prep: 25 min | Bake: 12 to 15 min | Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Fillings

• Candied ginger, whole nuts, candied or maraschino cherries, chocolate pieces, pitted dates or marzipan

Bon Bon Icing

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
• Food coloring

Instructions

Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the butter and sugar well, then add vanilla extract and cream. Whisk together the flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture, blending thoroughly.
3. For each cookie, pinch off a tablespoon of dough and press it into a disc in the palm of your hand. Put up to a teaspoon of filling in the center and wrap the dough. Place about one inch apart on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until set but not brown.
5. Cool on a rack.
6. When cool, add icing. Sprinkle with toppings of choice, if desired, while the icing is still wet.

Bon Bon Icing

1. Mix the sugar, cream and extract together. Divide into three or four small bowls and add food coloring, preferably pastel.

Notes

Chocolate Bon Bon Icing: Add two ounces of melted, unsweetened chocolate and 1 teaspoon of light corn syrup. A little extra cream may be necessary.

Chocolate Bonbons: Make Bonbon Cookies except blend in 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, melted.

Penuche Bonbons: Make Bonbon Cookies except use 1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar in place of confectioner’s sugar.

Attribution

The recipe is from a 1958 Betty Crocker cookbook, and the photo is from the Betty Crocker website.