Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies & The Great Quetzal Cookie Run.

Unearth Hope*, a non-profit company based in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, operates as a guest of international agencies. In partnership with these agencies, they seek to equip the women and children of Guatemala with the tools to end the cycle of poverty. Their tools** include medical exams, eye exams/glasses, women’s health education/sustainable menstruation kits, and construction projects.  

Due to COVID-19, many holiday traditions need to be adapted. Unearth Hope invites you to start an exciting new holiday tradition by getting your whole family involved in The Great Quetzal*** Cookie Run. This is a VIRTUAL race, so you pick the time/date/place to participate!

Create holiday memories with your family and friends as you run/walk and share great cookie recipes, all while supporting an incredible cause!

The proceeds from the race will benefit Unearth Hope as we strive to provide support to our international partners on the ground supporting COVID 19 relief in Guatemala as well are preparing to send future medical teams.

So this year we invite you to Run…Eat…Repeat! Find out more details after the cookie recipe.

And to help you get started on the cookies to share, Unearth Hope is teaming up with 7 bloggers to bring you 9 yummy cookie recipes. Here is one of my cookies…

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

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Yield: 36

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes 8 seconds

Total Time: 20 minutes 8 seconds

A little twist on the popular Peanut Butter Kiss cookies, these Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies will become a new family favorite this Christmas!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder (use black cocoa powder for a more intense chocolate flavor)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups flour
• coarse red and white sanding sugar, or edible glitter
• 48 Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, vegetable oil, vanilla, and brown and white sugars until creamy.
3. Scrape down the sides and then add the eggs, mix well.
4. In a separate mixing bowl sift together the cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and flour.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture.
6. Form the dough into thirty-six 1 1/2" balls (the dough will be a bit sticky so I recommend covering your hands with some butter or oil to keep from sticking) and roll into sugar/glitter and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes. Do not overbake or they will be hard, not chewy.
8. Cool on baking sheet for about two minutes, then gently press an unwrapped Hershey's Peppermint Kiss in to the center of each cookie.
9. Carefully remove to a cooling rack (don't want to smoosh the Kiss!) and let cookies cool completely before serving (if you can wait that long!)

Notes

Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Cookies will last for about a week on the counter or for several months in the freezer.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn pennies per sale from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

• 
  Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Electric Hand Mixer with Snap-On Storage Case, Wire Beaters, Whisk and Bowl Rest, 250W, White (62682RZ)
• 
  Set of 6 - stainless steel mixing bowls - Polished Mirror kitchen bowls - Set Includes ¾, 2, 3.5, 5, 6, 8 Quart
• 
  Black Cocoa Powder - 1 Lb
• 
  Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla, with Pure Vanilla Extract, 11 ounces Bottle,
• 
  Fayomir Cookie Scoop Set - Small/1 Tablespoon, Medium/2 Tablespoon, Large/3 Tablespoon - Ice Cream Scoop Set, 18/8 Stainless Steel Dough Scoop Cupcake Scoop Melon Baller
• 
   Heavy Duty Parchment Paper
• 
  Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver
• 
  Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack
• 
  Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid Square 1.5-Gallon Food Storage Container, 2-Pack, 24 Cup, Clear/Red

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 166Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 1g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Check out these other awesome cookie recipes:

• Ammi’s Chocolate Chip Cookies – Her Flour Garden  
• Chewbacca Gingerbread Cookies – Adventures of Frugal Mom
• Soft and Chewy Eggnog Cookies – Life of a Ginger {That’s my other cookie!}
• Cashew Butter Balls – Smitten Kitchen 
• Magic Cookie Bars – Resiliency Counseling & Consulting
• Granny Lee’s Peanut Butter Cookies – Bailey Staal 
• White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies – Susan Davidson: Ruth 2:16 Girl
• Top Hat Cookies – Champagne Style Bare Budget

The Great Quetzal Cookie Run

DATE: Run anytime during December 1-13.

TIME: Anytime you choose! That is the beauty of a virtual event. You can go solo at a time you choose, sync up with friends to run virtually together, or meet up with friends or family in your “COVID bubble” and run/walk together.

Cost of Registration (Registration ends December 7, 2020 at 11:59pm EST):
$30 for virtual 5K which includes T shirt
$10 for virtual fun walk/run (does not include T shirt can be purchased for $15 adult/$10 child)

*Unearth Hope, Inc. is a public charity determined by the IRS to be a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization beginning on October 2019. Unearth Hope has also earned a Bronze Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

**What are the Tools?

• Healthcare – We provide basic healthcare services to populations that have limited access. Services are provided by doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other volunteers. These services include: 
  • Medical Exams – Clinic healthcare providers perform basic physical exams and prescribe medications that are available when necessary. A pharmacy team fills the prescriptions.
  • Eye Exams – We provide eye exams for both near and distance vision. Glasses are made for distance and fitted for reading. Sunglasses are provided for cataract prevention. 
  • Women’s Health Services – Some prenatal care is offered. We teach classes that discuss women’s health including menstruation. Reusable menstrual care kits are provided through our Days for Girls team. With proper care, these kits can last up to 3 years.
• Community Support – We support local Guatemalan agencies in their efforts to build more stable communities through programs that help families become financially independent while building supportive social relationships with their neighbors. 
• Education – Our organization partners with local agencies to employ and work alongside locals to build schools. The education team hosts Vacation Bible School that includes themed art activities and plenty of time for active play in a positive, non-punitive environment. As most Guatemalans are catholic, the community enjoys participating in the VBS program.
• Clean Water — Our team works with local agencies to enroll families in a water filtration system program where they are provided filters and taught how to use and properly care for them. Their use is monitored by the program and there is continual follow-up. 
• Clean Air – Our organization is in the process of working with our partners to create a new design for vented cooking stoves and will assist in their installation. Local agencies have found that families have been taking vented stoves apart because current designs have increased their cooking time substantially.
• Safe Homes – Our construction team assists with various home repair projects. 

***The resplendent quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala because of its vibrant colour.