Bon Bons

These are the cookies that turn baking into a guessing game. Each one looks like a simple, round butter cookie on the outside, but crack one open and you’ll find a hidden surprise at the center: a chunk of Andes mint, a maraschino cherry, a cluster of chocolate chips, or a whole pecan half.

The dough is straightforward: butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour, molded by the tablespoon around each filling. They bake until just set but not browned, keeping a pale, tender bite that lets the filling take center stage.

The real fun is the icing. Divide it into four batches and tint each one a different color so you know what’s hiding inside. Green for mint, pink for cherry, yellow for pecan, and chocolate for, well, chocolate.

Kitchen Tips

• Mark which cookies have which filling before baking! Once they’re in the oven, they all look the same and you’ll lose track fast.
• Mold the dough firmly around the filling with no cracks. Gaps let the filling leak out during baking.
• If the dough is too crumbly to hold together, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it’s workable.
• Dip the tops into the icing rather than spreading it. You get a smoother, cleaner finish with less fuss.