Christmas time is here! Trees are being decorated, lights are being hung and Hallmark movies are warming our hearts. Baking has and will always be a huge part of holidays in our family. Nothing is better at Christmas time then warm hot cocoa and a delicious cookie.
This year for Thanksgiving I visited warm San Diego and decided to do some cookie baking with my niece who is four years old. She is a great helper in the kitchen, and by great I mean she loves to mix and taste and get her hands dirty. The best part of baking besides eating delicious food is creating memories with loved ones and that is exactly what we did.
I picked a fairly easy Recipe from William Sonoma for their Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies. I picked it based on the peppermint and chocolate combo because all my nieces love peppermint and I think chocolate is a great way to have peppermint and not be overwhelmed by the minty flavor.
A few tips about the recipe.
The dough will need to be chilled for a few hours or overnight so do not try to make these last minute! Just make the dough the night before or in the morning. This is helpful because it gives you time to clean up and rest before baking and eating all these yummy cookies.
the recipe calls for semi sweet chocolate which we used, but I think a dark chocolate of 70% would have complimented the peppermint flavor even more. So play around with the chocolate level and remember the darker the better.
Some people love the flavor of Peppermint, like my niece, and others find it over powering so whatever spectrum you are on remember you can adjust the amount of peppermint based on what you like. However I would not recommend putting more than the recipe called for because it will make your cookies taste like a breath mint. Also from experience, don't let the four-year-old pour the peppermint unless you again want it to be a breath mint...a very delicious breath mint!
Lastly remember that Christmas is the time for giving, so feel free to make a batch and give them as presents to family, friends or neighbors. They truly look lovely, almost like your chocolate cookie was stuck in a snowstorm and came back inside with a lovely coating of fresh snow.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas and Happy Baking!
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. (9 1/2 oz./280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 8 oz. (250 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 3/4 cups (22 oz./690 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) canola oil
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and kept warm (but not hot)
- 2 Tbs. light corn syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in a microwave oven set at 50% power until softened but not fully melted, about 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 15 seconds more. The chocolate should be uniformly melted. If it isn’t, continue to microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each time. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater on medium speed, beat together 2 1/2 cups (20 oz./625 g) of the granulated sugar, the oil, butter and corn syrup until blended. Beat in the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extract. On low speed, beat in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and beat in on low speed.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Preheat an oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the remaining 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a separate shallow bowl.
Remove one of the pieces of dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into balls about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar to lightly coat, then roll in the confectioners’ sugar until it is heavily coated.
Arrange the cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or up to 14 minutes for crisper cookies. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then press the cookies flat with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Recipe by Naomi Robinson, creator of the blog Bakers Royale
Spreading Beauty Through Baking Series is brought to you by Lyndsay Weyers who works as a Pediatrician in North Carolina but has a passion for good food and delicious baked goods. She spends her free time with her husband (Dr. Weyers) traveling, exploring and eating exotic food and when at home enjoys organizing her ever expanding cookbook library and trying new things in the kitchen.
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