Peppermint Candy Tarts

Here's another plate of cookies to try before we make the big decision of what to leave Santa on Christmas Eve. If Santa loves candy canes, which he does, icing, which he does, & sugar cookies, which of course he does, then he is sure to love these cute little tarts. They are basically a sugar cookie with butter cream frosting mixed with crushed candy canes, but when made in the mini muffin pans they become adorable little tarts. My cookies did puff up a little during baking so I used my little liquid measuring cup (like a shot glass) & pressed them down right after I took them out of the oven to create a well for the icing. I used my food processor to crush the candy canes & used a large star tip to pipe the icing. But beware, the icing tip needs to be large enough for the crushed candy canes to pass through. I had a rather large piece of candy cane clog up my icing tip & it could have been catastrophic but luckily it happened while icing the last tart!

INGREDIENTS

Tart Shells
1/2	cup granulated sugar
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2	teaspoon peppermint extract
1	egg
1 1/2	cups all-purpose flour
1/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon salt
Filling and Garnish
2	cups powdered sugar
3	tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2	or 3 drops red food color
2	to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2	cup crushed hard peppermint candies (about 18 candies)

DIRECTIONS

	Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 32 mini muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract and egg until blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt.
	Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Press each ball in bottom and up side of muffin cup.
	Bake 9 to 12 minutes until set and edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from muffin cups to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
	In small bowl, beat filling ingredients except crushed candies with electric mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Stir in 1/4 cup of the candies. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded measuring teaspoon filling into center of each tart shell. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies. Kristin