Starlight Mint Surprise

It's the holiday season and everybody is making their favorites. Here is a cookie that is in my top 5 (just below Chocolate Chip and Russian Teacakes). It's called Starlight Mint Surprise and it was the prize winner in the cookie category at the Pillsbury Bakeoff in the 60s. The original mint wafers are no longer sold although you can substitute with either the mint wafers sold by Fanny Farmer (makes one heck of an expensive cookie!) or use Andes Mints (sold in most grocery stores). These are intended to be small cookies and personally, I think the result is better if you don't use nonstick bakeware (I have commercial aluminum uncoated baking sheets).

Starlight Mint Surprise

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 100 chocolate mint wafer candies or Andes mint candy
  
• 100 walnut halves

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, white sugar, butter or margarine, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Combine and mix at lowest speed until dough forms.
2. Drop by scant teaspoons 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Press candy wafer on top of each - mold dough sides up around mint. Cover with scant teaspoons of dough. Top each with walnut half.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 9-12 minutes.