Friday, December 9, 2016

Soft Frosted Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Ok, I know, for trying to pose as a "Fit Momma Foodie", I admit I bake a lot during the holidays.  I can't fight it.  I'm only human!  That being said, I only bake what I know is worth my calories, and what I crave.  Which is 99% of the time Peanut Butter, but during the holidays I can't get enough peppermint! I Love candy canes, and I love to smell eat and breath peppermint!  And these yummy, soft cookies are magical, and melt in your mouth!  I got the recipe from the great Jaime Cooks It Up!



These are just a perfect treat for yourself, or if you have enough will power to give half of them away, then they are wonderful treat to share!!





Even my boy that swears he doesn't like peppermint or mint for that matter, he wont even chew mint gum, HE actually LOVED them!  Score!

Soft Frosted Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: 48
Ingredients
COOKIES:
1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk chocolate chips
PEPPERMINT FROSTING:
1 C white chocolate chips
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 Tb butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 Tb milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4 drops red food coloring
dash salt
15-20 mini candy canes
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In your stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and add the eggs. Cream for an additional 1 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and mix just until combined.
4. In a separate bowl toss together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix just until combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Spray your cookie sheets with cooking spray and form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls.
6. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the tops of the cookies crack. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to finish baking on the hot sheet. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
7. To make the frosting melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one.
8. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the white chocolate and mix. Don't be worried if it looks kind of chunky at this point. That's normal. :)
9. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract (if you don't have extract you can use peppermint essential oils and only use about 6 drops), food coloring and salt. Mix for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes of until its nice and smooth and a bit fluffy.
10. Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a gallon sized ziploc bag. Seal the bag tightly and crush them with a rolling pin.
11. Frost each cookie, making sure to sprinkle the candy canes over the top directly after it's been frosted.
Store in an airtight container. These cookies freeze super well! Make sure and lay a sheet of parchment paper between layers of cookies if you are going to stack them, so they don't stick together.

Enjoy!