"La Cookie-racha" Nacho Mama's MEXCELLENT Christmas Cookies!

Even though I admit to being a terrible baker-here is yet another recipe for a delicious baked dessert! (The other, my "empanadas" can be seen HERE). I've been fooling around with the oven for at least a week trying to come up with a signature holiday cookie and I finally stumbled on the perfect combo of ingredients last night!

Try these and I think you 'll agree that while Nacho Mama may be a terrible baker, I am an awesome FAKER! These are super easy-as long as you live somewhere with access to Mexican foods. I made these cookies with regular sugar-cookie dough and they were good, but after reading this post over at The Crafty Chica's blog, I tried it with gingerbread-cookie dough-EUREKA!

Before I divulge the secret recipe, I'd like to say a word about "tube food." I grew up on my mom's and grandmoms' delicious homemade cooking and never tasted "tube food" (you know, the doughy processed stuff sold in tubes in the supermarket) until I started dating my a-dorable gringo husband.  Once he showed me how to open the tubes by smacking them against the kitchen counter? It was love. I know there is very little in these tubes that resemble actual food, but I must say that as an occasional indulgence, they can be luverly.

So here they are, NACHO MAMA'S MEXCELLENT CHRISTMAS COOKIES!*

You will need:

1 tube of Gingerbread Cookie Dough
1 wheel of Mexican Chocolate (Ibarra or similar)
2-3 large pieces of Dulce de Leche Candy (smiling yet? I am!)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Using a microplane or fine cheese grater, grate about 1/2 the chocolate wheel onto a plate
3. Cut your Dulce de Leche candy into yummy bite-sized pieces, try to save some for the cookies
4. Slice the dough tube into 1/2-inch coins, then slice those into four "pie-shaped"pieces
5. Roll each dough pie-shape into a ball, and roll the ball around in the Mexican chocolate until completely covered.

6. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 according to dough package instructions.
7. Once done, remove from oven and, while still warm, press a piece of Dulce de Leche into the center of each cookie.

8. Call your family to enjoy the cookies while they are still warm and show your gratitude to your husband (for introducing you to tube food and keeping the kids out of your hair so you could bake) by not slapping his hand away.

These are AWESOME. And so easy! The combo of the gingerbread and the Mexican chocolate give it a yummy kick against the smooth, creamy Dulce de Leche.

I hope you'll give my Mexcellent Christmas Cookies a try-I have a feeling the gingerbread dough is going to be available in your supermarket for a limited time :)

*thanks to my facebook friends Maureen, Katy, Maria, Stacie, Halisia and my mom for helping to come up with the name!

ALSO-If you're looking for an easy, last-minute craft, check out my post over at Rock On Mommies (I'm also hosting an awesome GIVEAWAY there-don't miss it!)

Hope you all enjoy this season-and don't stress out too much!

Wishing you happy holidays with extra cheese,
Nacho Mama