Saturday, December 23, 2017

DIY Chocolate Peppermint and White Chip Cookies

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Christmas is approaching super quickly and I was super excited to test some new cookie recipes this year! One is a chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips and candy canes, hence the name Chocolate Peppermint and White Chip Cookies! They were an instant hit on one of the doctors that I work with's birthday and a hit again in the cookie bags I made for my co-workers this year. I'm glad they went over well, because I loved them too! They are featured below with some yummy ginger snaps too (one of my good friend's Grandma's recipes) and another one of the ADORABLE pieces of bake ware that I got from my Grandma Sandy last year for Christmas. I really do believe in the power of baked good ;).   

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 10-12 minutes, Total time: about 30 minutes
Makes about 18 cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Standard mixer
Spatula
Medium mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Rolling pin (or something to crush candy canes with)
Cooling rack
2 Cookie sheets
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter room temp
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
4-6 crushed candy cane pieces

How to make it:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2) With your standard mixer, whip the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract together for 2-3 minutes 
3) Meanwhile, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together well in a medium bowl
4) Melt the chocolate chips at 15 second increments in the microwave, stirring well in-between each increment to avoid burning. Once melted add this mixture to the butter and sugar combination
5) Add the egg and yolk into the butter/sugar/chocolate mix
6) Slowly add the flour mixture into the mixer while on a low speed 
7) Crush the candy cane pieces into small bites in a small bowl carefully with the end of your rolling pin
8) Remove bowl from mixer and add in chocolate chips and candy cane pieces by hand with a spatula or spoon
9) Roll into small 1 inch balls and place onto cookie sheet
TIP: If mixture is too sticky place in refrigerator for 5 minutes or so 
10) Place one tray at a time onto the center rack of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes
11) Let cool for 2-3 minutes before placing on cooling rack 
12) Enjoy!

Madi and I are looking forward to a quiet weekend together for Christmas as we both had to work last week and have to work next week too before heading to Florida for my brother's fiance's wedding shower and bachelorette over New Years weekend. We got to attend Christmas at DPAC last night for our church's Christmas service which was awesome as usual, and spent today resting as I am recovering from a head cold too (yuck). Excited to enjoy rest and relaxation (and hopefully read a book or two) with our time off! 

Thanks for reading,
- Olivia :)