Peppermint Bark Cookies

Chewy, chocolaty cookies dipped in premium white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes.  The ultimate Christmas Cookie.

Oh, these cookies.

With only four calendar days left un-ticked before the big day, I’ve been scrambling both inside and outside of the kitchen.  Between dashing through overcrowded malls and bare-shelved, patron-packed supermarkets, and going through 5 lb bags of flour in a weekend, this may be the “hap-happiest season of all” but it’s definitely the busiest.

And I think that’s a big part of the reason that I’m such a fan of these cookies.

Because, as decadent and gorgeous as they appear, they really, really don’t require that much effort.

Made without the use of my KitchenAid because they’re just so easy to stir by hand (and I usually make everything in my KitchenAid), they’re then baked, cooled, dipped in melted white chocolate, sprinkled with candy cane pieces and allowed to harden.

Boom.  Done.

Peppermint bark is to Christmastime what pumpkin spice is to Thanksgiving all of Fall.  It’s the flavor of the season and pretty much as festive as it gets.

That’s what I wanted these cookies to be.

The rich, very chocolaty, chewy-edged cookies with their mini chocolate chip studded soft interiors serve as the chocolate base, a vehicle on which to carry the white chocolate and crushed peppermint.

The end result: Wicked dark, sinfully chocolate cookies, with melting chocolate, the crackle-topped outsides dressed in pure-white Christmas skirts, bedazzled with candy cane jewels.

If you don’t have mini chocolate chips on hand and aren’t prepared to thrust yourself back into the unevenly-tempered throngs of the ransacked grocery stores, they can be omitted.  Personally, though I like the chocolaty pops throughout the chewy-edged, soft interior cookies.

Enjoy!

Print

Peppermint Bark Cookies

Holiday cookies inspired by peppermint bark candy!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 45 cookies

Calories 185 kcal

Author Samantha Merritt

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter cut into Tbsp-sized pieces
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cups light brown sugar packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 1 yolk lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips optional
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes I used 10 crushed mini canes
• 2 cups premium white chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In large, micro-wave safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir, repeating at 15 second increments until chocolate and butter are completely melted.
3. Remove from microwave and allow to cool 10 minutes before proceeding.
4. Once butter/chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in sugars, eggs and vanilla.
5. In separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture until completely combined.
7. Drop cookie dough by rounded 1½" scoop onto parchment paper, pressing down to flatten slightly.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes, allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to cookie rack to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
9. Have your crushed candy canes ready before preparing your chocolate.
10. Prepare white chocolate by placing in medium-sized microwave-safe bowl with 2 tsp shortening. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir, then continue to microwave at 15-second increments (stirring between well after each 15-second increment) until chocolate is completely melted (do NOT microwave too long).
11. Dip cookies 1/3-1/2 of the way in white chocolate and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet to harden.
12. Immediately after dipping each cookie, sprinkle with crushed candy canes (do not wait too long or the chocolate will harden and the crushed candy cane will not stick).
13. Allow chocolate to harden before serving.

You May Also Like:

Peppermint Oreo Truffles

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Candy Cane Cheesecake