Ingredients

For the filling:
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candy or candy canes
1 drop red food coloring

For the dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

For the topping:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candy or candy canes

Directions

For the filling, combine cream cheese and milk in a small bowl. Stir in sugar, candy and food coloring; mix well. Set aside.

For the dough, preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy; add vanilla. Stir in flour; knead until well mixed. Set aside 1/2 cup of dough; shape remaining dough into 1-inch balls. Make a deep well in the center of each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill with 1/4 teaspoon filling. Use reserved dough to cover filling by placing a small flat disc of dough over the hole. Reshape if necessary into smooth balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake about 12 minutes.

Make the topping by combining the powdered sugar with the crushed candy. Roll warm (not hot) cookies in the topping mixture. Set on wire racks to cool completely.