(From Joanne Flukes, “Cream Puff Murder”)

1-1/2 cups butter, melted

2-1/2 cups sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

3 drops red food coloring

4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar for later

Add the sugar to butter and stir. Let it cool slightly. Then add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, and peppermint extract, stirring after each addition.

Add the red food coloring, stir it in, add another drop or two of food if needed to create a bright pink dough.

Add flour in one-cup increments, stirring after each one. The dough will be quite stiff.

Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. (Overnight is fine too.)

Place the 1/2 cup of white sugar in a small bowl.

Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper.

Roll the chilled dough into walnut-sized balls. Roll the balls in the sugar so that the whole ball is coated.

Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet. Press the balls down just a little with a metal spatula.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350. They’ll flatten out the rest of the way all by themselves.

Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once the cookies are cool, transfer them to sheets of wax paper and prepare to dip them in Chocolate Dip.

Dip for the Minty Melts Cookies.

2 cups chocolate chips

1 stick butter

Microwave the chips and the butter on HIGH for 90 seconds. Stir to make sure the chips are melted. If not, heat in 20-second increments until you can stir them smooth. Keep warm.