Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies ~These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. I love the beautiful snowy white layer of powdered sugar crackled against a black chocolatey background. These cookies are as beautiful as they are yummy. Wrapped in a crisp exterior these crinkle cookies have a chewy brownie-like inside and for some added holiday cheer I kicked up this classic holiday cookie recipe with some peppermint flavoring.
I don’t know about you, but I love the holidays. I love the Christmas music, the food, the baking, the decorating and the wrapping. What I don’t like is any stress or drama related to it. So a while back I started shopping early. By that I mean July-early so that by Halloween I’m 90% done. The last ten percent is reserved for last minute Cyber Monday deals.
I know, annoyingly anal, right? But hey, it works for me. Life can be stressful enough that I try to minimize the stresses that I can control. That means shopping early and preparing holiday food that can be completed the night before and reheated the day of. Before you go sighing on me, I should mention – I don’t do turkey or ham. I do everything but, like appetizers, side dishes and desserts. So whether I’m hosting or traveling this allows me to enjoy family and friends.
A few notes:
- The original recipe does not call for peppermint. I added that for an extra holiday flavor (after having Panera’s Peppermint Crinkle Cookie). Remember to press the cookie with a spatula after they cool for 1-2 minutes for them to look like Panera’s version.
- For best results let the cookie dough rest overnight.
- The cookie dough can be prepared four days in advance. Once the cookies are baked they can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- To keep your cookies chewy add a plain piece of bread to the container. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and stay chewy. Replace the bread piece once it starts to resemble a crouton in texture.
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
*****Please note: I have adjusted the butter and corn syrup ratio from the original posting as it was written incorrectly*****
Adapted from Shirley Corriher
Yields 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 3/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup of canola oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm, not hot
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons of peppermint extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, beat together well the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50 percent power for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 15 seconds more and stir; set aside.
- In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together 2 1/2 cups of the sugar, the oil, butter and corn syrup to blend. Beat in the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extract. Then on low, beat in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and beat in on low speed. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bakesheet with parchment. Take out about one-quarter of the dough at a time to shape. Roll the dough into 3 inch balls. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar into one bowl and the confectioners’ sugar in another bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball lightly in granulated sugar first, then very heavily in confectioners’ sugar. (By rolling in plain sugar first, the confectioners’ sugar does not soak in so much and stays on the surface better).
- Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on the foil. For crisp cookies, bake 12 to 14 minutes. For a chewier cookie, bake 10-12 minutes. Bake one sheet at a time. Allow cookies to cool for 1-2 minutes, the press flat with a spatula.
Adapted from Shirley Corridor
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