Delivering Kisses and Miracles

There are many ways chocolate makes people happy and one of the worthiest is a tour that has been described as the "chocolate lover's dream."

For 10 years, the Hershey's Kissmobile Cruisers have crisscrossed the country to raise awareness of and donations for the 170 nonprofit Children's Miracle Network hospitals.

The Kissmobile Cruisers visit more than 70 North American cities and drive more than 70,000 miles each year. The tour showcases new products (more than 230,000 Hershey's Kisses chocolates can fit into a refrigerated compartment) as well as staging fun events, such as sing-along contests and beanbag tosses and crafts. Last year the tour reached the fundraising goal of $1 million in donations to Children's Miracle Network.

While waiting for the tour to reach your hometown, you may want to make these delicious cookies:

Kissables Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

11/3 cups granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting

Additional powdered sugar

11/3 cups (10.5-oz. pkg.) Hershey's Kissables Brand Chocolate Candies

Directions:

1. Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, milk and vanilla until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

2. Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 11/8-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar; place on prepared cookie sheet. Press thumb in center of each cookie.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.

4. Spoon frosting into heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag. Cut off corner of bag about 1/4 inch from point; pipe frosting into thumbprint indentations. Sift additional powdered sugar over filled cookies, if desired. Gently press 3 to 4 candies into each filled cookie. Makes about 3 to 1/2 dozen cookies.

Vanilla Variation: Increase flour to 23/4 cups; omit cocoa.

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For more information on the Children's Miracle Network and the Hershey's Kissmobile tour, visit www.cmn.org and www.kissmobile.com. The Hershey's Kissmobile Cruisers visit more than 70 North American cities and drive more than 70,000 miles each year.