December can only mean one thing when it comes to food blogging… COOKIES! Over the years, I’ve done more Christmas cookie baking days and cookie exchanges than I can count. These traditions are fun, right? And they truly bring joy. Joy that tastes delicious, and sweet, and comforting. So many of us have memories of a grandparent or a parent making a certain favorite cookie. No matter how old I get, I will always feel nostalgic love for a chocolate crinkle cookie (in my family, we call it a chocolate Kringle cookie) because that’s what tastes like home so to speak. In a year when many of us can’t be near our families for the holidays, we can at least come together over holiday cookies. Perhaps you and your mom make the same traditional recipe on the same day this year? Or maybe you video chat with your brother as you both try a new cookie recipe? Let’s make cookies together this year even if we still aren’t close enough to hug.
I’ve had chocolate on the brain lately, brownies specifically, actually. However, brownies don’t scream Christmas to me. With that in mind, I converted a brownie recipe I’ve been working on and turned it into a holiday cookie. My husband loves peppermint with chocolate (frankly, I do too) and so this peppermint cocoa cookie was born. To keep things festive, I used actual peppermint candies for this recipe rather than peppermint extract. I hope you’ll think of your family and holiday traditions as you dive into these cookies.
Peppermint Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but add richness to the chocolate flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 5 oz starlight mint candies or candy canes, broken into small pieces
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, melted chocolate, vegetable oil, espresso powder and vanilla.
- Stir in eggs one at a time.
- Gradually stir in dry ingredients.
- Stir in broken candy pieces.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat over to 350°F.
- Form cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, 2" apart.
- Bake 13-15 minutes.