Red Velvet Milky Way Cookies

Well, it's a snow day around these parts which can only mean one thing.....COOKIES!  And, more specifically, Valentine cookies!  These are some of my favorite cookies of all time.  You take a red velvet cake mix and add stuff to it to add up to a really delicious and simple cookie!  I mean, is there anything better than Milky Way bars and dark chocolate??!!  Nope!  I love how the Milky Way bars melt and get all oozy.  Note that you should bake the cookies on parchment paper (very important) or you won't be able to get them off of the pan.  And what's the point of making cookies if you can't get them off of the stinkin' pan, right?!  Enjoy!

Red Velvet Milky Way Cookies (adapted from picky-palate.com)

1 box red velvet cake mix
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
3 T. applesauce
3 full sized Milky Way bars, cut into chunks 
1 c. dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl mix together the cake mix, butter, egg and applesauce and stir until combined.  Add the cut up Milky Way bars and chocolate chips.  Scoop dough onto a baking sheet that is lined with parchment (very important!) leaving about 1" between the cookies.  Bake for 11-15 minutes, depending on the size of the scoop (I have the Pampered Chef ice cream scoop set and I used the medium sized one) until cooked through.  Let cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Makes about 28 cookies (159 calories each) according to my calculator on loseit.com