Peppermint Bark Cookies - Everyday Annie

Back when I first started making holiday treats and handing them out, peppermint bark was one of my favorite gifting options. It was simple to make, took very little time, and everyone loved it. However, as years have passed and our recipient list has grown, peppermint bark became a less feasible option. Buying chocolate to make enough bark for that many people became very pricey very fast. (And anyway, I still end up buying loads of chocolate but for homemade hot chocolate mix, it’s worth it.) This year while I was whittling down my list of potential treat options (I started with nearly 30!) I had only one item left to decide upon. I knew I wanted it to be a cookie of some kind because really, what are holiday treat assortments without cookies? Then I realized I had also neglected to include anything mint in the package as well, and I know how all you people feel about mint. The idea of a peppermint bark cookie popped into my head and once I had thought of it, I knew it needed to be so.

After much thought and deliberation this is what I ended up with – a dark chocolate sugar cookie with a peppermint twist, coated with a base layer of dark chocolate and topped with white chocolate and peppermint pieces. We loved the final result. The chocolate coating on each side of the cookie lends a nice crunch reminiscent of peppermint bark. Even this most-of-the-time mint hater enjoys a candy cane during the holidays, and the blend of chocolate and peppermint makes for a fun and festive seasonal treat.

Today’s holiday giveaway is an apron from the lovely Jessie Steele. In case you wanted to wear something as cute as these cookies while you are baking, this would be a good place to start. Visit the giveaway page to learn more and to enter!

Yield about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
12 tbsp. (6 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. peppermint extract
½ tsp. vanilla extract

To finish:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
10 oz. good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies

Directions

01
To make the cookies, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a small bowl; whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg, peppermint extract, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated and no streaks remain. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours.
02
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut out 3-inch rounds with a cookie cutter and place cut outs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until set. Let cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
03
Line baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. Place the bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a few inches of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. One a time, dip the bottom side of each cookie into the chocolate. Use an offset spatula to scrape of the excess, leaving only a very thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of the cookie. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate has set, about 15 minutes.
04
Repeat the melting process with the white chocolate in the double boiler set up. Use an offset spatula to spread a layer of white chocolate on top of each cookie and sprinkle immediately with crushed candy cane pieces before the chocolate sets. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill again just until set, about 15 minutes more. Store in an airtight container.

Source

Chocolate cookie base adapted from Martha Stewart