Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

December 8, 2017 Laura

Every year I organize a holiday cookie decorating party for Scarlett and her friends. It’s not a cookie exchange with a goal of having dozens of cookies to use over the holidays since I’m the only person contributing dough. However, all the kids do end up leaving with cookies to share with their family. It’s more about getting together with friends and celebrating the holidays. Scarlett loves to plan what she’ll bake with her friends and I think the other kids love having the license to eat all the sprinkles and other toppings for the cookies. My friends, of course, like the fact I helped them tick having to bake with their kids off their to do list.

The real heavy lifting for our family holiday treats happen when Scarlett and I set aside a day to bake on our own. On this day, we usually get a few dozen cookies into the freezer as well as a pie dough since I like to make hand pies around the holidays. Our cookie menu changes each year but these Double Chocolate Peppermint babies are definitely on this year’s list. In fact, I think they’ll be a new tradition for us since I love chocolate and Scarlett gravitates to anything peppermint flavoured or with candy canes. These cookies have crispy edges, gooey and soft middles and the hint of peppermint makes them all Christmas.

Photo by Ahsley van der Laan

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon natural peppermint extract
2 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 candy cane, finely crushed

Method

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in the peppermint extract.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the flour to the wet ingredients, mixing as you go until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips and then place mix into the refrigerator until the oven is heated to 350.

Form the dough into small balls (heaping 1 Tbsp) and place 1.5 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press the tops down and then stick in a few more chocolate chips.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to dry but the tops still look a bit soft. Let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes but sprinkle with crushed candy cane immediately. Gently press the candy cane into the warm cookie.

Transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled. Store in an airtight container for 2 weeks or freeze for several weeks.

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