SURPRISE KISSES

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp cinnamon
25 chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
1 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
3/4 tsp unsweetened baking cocoa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter; beat at medium speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla extract.

In another medium bowl, combine the flour and cinnamon.  Add the flour mixture to the creamy mixture and mix well to combine.

Shape the dough into 25 1-inch balls then flatten balls to 2-inch rounds.  Place about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Place a chocolate kiss in the center of each round.  Bring the dough up around the kiss until kiss is completely covered.  Pinch dough to seal.  Bake at 350 degrees for around 15 minutes until bottoms of cookies are starting to get golden brown.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Sprinkle this mixture over the hot cookies.  The warm cookies will absorb this sugar.  Sprinkle again later if you want a decorative coating.  Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheets for 10 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 25 cookies

This is a file photo.