Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

The other day, I was frantically racing strolling down the baking aisle at the market when I saw these Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips by Andes. You know Andes, don’t you? They’re the ones that make those little Crème de Menthe chocolates that you get at many restaurants along with your check. Anyway, I had never seen these chips before, but I thought they would help make some great holiday cookies. So, I bought a few bags. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do with them, but I did know that it had to involve chocolate. After all, peppermint and chocolate are like the peanut butter and jelly of the Christmas season.

Scouring through my collection of cookie recipes, I found one for Martha Stewart’s Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies. It looked like the perfect vehicle to show off my peppermint chips. It’s a very straightforward chocolate chip cookie recipe, except that cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate are added into the dough. I was able to whip up a batch of these cookies, from start to finish, while watching the Top Chef reunion episode last night.

While I’m admittedly not a huge fan of peppermint, I was really pleased with the way they turned out. The rich, chocolate cookie was moist and chewy on the inside and crispy around the edges. The peppermint chips were both crunchy and creamy at the same time, and added just the right amount of “mintiness”, without being overpowering. It was a perfect balance of flavors. Plus, they look kind of pretty too.

These cookies went over big here in SGCC Land, and I think they would be a nice addition to any holiday cookie basket.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart Living

If you can’t find Andes Peppermint Crunch baking Chips in your area, you can substitute good old peppermint bark instead. Just chop it up into small bits and you should be good to go.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces peppermint chips or chopped peppermint bark

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Melt coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

3. Transfer chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in peppermint chunks.

4. Scoop cookie dough using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop. Place 2 inches apart on parchment or Silpat lined baking sheets. Bake about 15 minutes, or until cookies are flat and surfaces begin to crack. Let cool 5 minutes and then remove cookies to wire racks to finish cooling. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 dozen medium-sized cookies.