Grandma’s Peppermint Puff Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Beat until creamy. Add in egg yolk. Slowly add flour and crushed candy canes. Mixture will be very crumbly at this point.

Taking about 2 tablespoons of dough crumbs, press them together in the palm of your hand to shape into a 1″ ball. Repeat for remaining dough, setting the balls aside.

In a small bowl, whip egg whites for about 30 seconds until foamy.

Put remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a separate bowl.

Dip each ball into egg whites completely coating, then letting the excess drip off. Then roll in sugar carefully. Set cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Gently press a chocolate chip onto the top of each cookie (it will adhere during the cooking).

Bake cookies in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from the oven and cool cookies for 10 minutes on pan before transferring to a wire rack. The bottoms will have extra egg white crisps that you can break off when you transfer them to the rack. Cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container for one week. Enjoy!