Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

I love the chocolate on chocolate.  Plus the crushed peppermint makes it so tasty!  And it looks nice!  These are a great treat for the holidays and cookie exchanges. 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large eggs
4 candy canes, coarsely crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*F.  Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Stir 2 cups chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.  Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate, transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy.  Add sugar and both extracts, beat until smooth.  Add eggs, beat to blend.  Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl.  Add dry ingredients, beat just to blend.  Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. 
Roll dough into balls, about 1 inch diameter, and place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8-9 minutes.  Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely. 
Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water.  Using fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies.  Sprinkle crushed candy canes over.  Chill just until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes.
DO AHEAD: can be made 3 weeks ahead, store airtight in freezer.  Bring to room temperature before serving.


By:  Bon Appetit

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A sweet friend brought these yummy cookies over!  They are perfect for Fall.  Moist, chewy pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!  How could you go wrong with these!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Cream butter, gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix well.  Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop in rounded balls onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 15 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. 


By: Carly Jones

Mint Chocolate Cookies

Mint Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are perfect for those mint lovers you know!  Filled with Andes mints and dark chocolate and mint chips (special holiday chocolate chips), these have a perfect combination of smooth chocolate and zingy mint!  My husband loves them and says they taste like the amazing Girl Scouts Thin Mints!  So fun to find a special treat he loves!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Hersheys Dark Chocolate and Mint chocolate chips
1 cup chopped Andes Mints

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350* F.  Grease cookie sheets.  In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture.  Mix in the chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Another awesome recipe for my cinnamon-sugar loving hubby!!  These are delicious and have become one of my go-to recipes for potlucks or when I need to make a dessert for friends coming over (I always have all the ingredients on hand!)

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Optional:
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*.  Lightly grease 9x13 pan.  Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and set aside.  In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.  Stir in the flour mixture until well blended, then mix in cinnamon chips if using.  Spread evenly in prepared pan.  Mixture will be thick and resemble cookie dough.  Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl and evenly sprinkle over the top of the batter.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed.  Cool slightly and cut into bars while still warm. 

By: Chef in Training

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite treats!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour (plus some for high altitude)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (I add more)
2 large eggs
1 bag chocolate chips or mixture of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together. Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on pan, remove to wire racks to cook completely.

Carmelitas

I saw these yummy treats on Pinterest and the picture taunted me, so I had to try them. We thought they were pretty good. Honestly, I think my turtle bars are better (recipe to be uploaded later)

Carmelitas

Ingredients:
32 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts.

By: Lulu the baker