A new favorite of ours are these Roly Poly Santas. I got the recipe from Taste of Home and if you make them you should go to their website to see a picture…you really need it to see how cute they are and how to put them together. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Roly-Poly-Santas

Rolling all the balls takes awhile, but even just one of them on a tray of cookies makes a big difference!

ROLY POLY SANTAS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Red paste food coloring
• Miniature chocolate chips
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons milk, divided

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and mix well. Remove 1 cup dough; add red food coloring. Shape white dough into 12 balls, 3/4 in. each, and 48 balls, 1/4 in. each. Shape red dough into 12 balls, 1 in. each, and 60 balls, 1/2 in. each. Place the 1-in. red balls on two ungreased baking sheets for the body of 12 Santas; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach 3/4-in. white balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. red balls to each Santa for arms and legs. Attach 1/4-in. white balls to ends of arms and legs for hands and feet. Shape remaining 1/2-in. red balls into hats (see the photo). Add chocolate chip eyes and buttons.

Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes; carefully remove from pans to wire racks (cookies will be fragile).

For frosting, combine shortening and vanilla in a small mixing bowl; mix well. Gradually add 1-1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar; add 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add remaining sugar and milk. Fill a pastry bag with frosting. With a round decorator’s tip, add a band of icing on hat, cuffs at hands and feet, and down the front and at bottom of jacket. Use a small star tip to pipe beard and pom-pom on hat.
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Yield: 1 dozen.