Paula's Dipped Christmas Cookies

 Well, it just ain't real Christmas without a Paula Deen recipe, y'all. A couple weeks ago the girls and I were watching Paula's Best Dishes on a Sunday morning, and she was cookin' a holiday meal with her brother, Bubba, and her nephew, I-forget-his-name.  Some kind of crown roast and rich side dish.

And these cookies.  They are full of everything delicious and crunchy and sweet, then dipped in white chocolate and candy canes to make them extra crazy Christmas-y.  Plus the recipe makes a ton, love that about Paula.  So the next week we whipped up a huge batch of these for the church Christmas party.  Yee-haw, it's almost Christmas!

Paula's Dipped Christmas Cookies (print recipe)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup puffed rice cereal
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats
1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits
White chocolate, for dipping (about 24 ounces)
Hard peppermint candies, crushed, for garnish (most of a 1-pound bag)

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.

2.  Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars.  Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat in the oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in the flour mixture in 3 small additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one.  Slowly beat in the rice cereal, coconut and oats.  Fold in the toffee bits and refrigerate the dough, covered, for 1 hour.

3.  Preheat oven to 350.

4.  Drop rounded tablespoon of dough on 2 cookie sheets, leaving at least 1 inch of space around each drop.  Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

5.  Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate gently.  Dip the front of half of each cookie in the chocolate and roll or sprinkle with crushed peppermint to decorate.  Allow to cool and set on waxed paper.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe from Paula Deen's Best Dishes

Peppermint Brownie Pie

 That's right.  It's brownie-in-a-pie.  When I came across this recipe, it called to me.  I was like, "I KNOW I'm making that this month."  It was the other pie I made for Lefse Day.  And I loooved it.

What is not to like?  Delicious dark chocolate homemade brownie.  In a great pie crust.  And there are a couple ways to make it pepperminty.  If you can find mint chocolate chips, it's a great way to go.  I've seen them around, especially this time of year.  Also I saw at Target Andes makes Andes mints baking squares, basically chopped up Andes mints.  Another great option.  If you can't find anything like that, it will taste the same if you use regular chocolate chips and peppermint extract.  And definitely don't forget to garnish with whipped cream and crushed candy canes - just the perfect minty crunch to top these off.  And if you really want over-the-top - I mean, it is indulgence season - use this pie as a base for an awesome sundae.  Peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, chopped Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, etc.  You get the idea. 

 Peppermint Brownie Pie (print recipe)
1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mint-flavor semisweet chocolate pieces - OR - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Whipped cream, for serving
Crushed candy canes, for serving

1.  In a small saucepan, combine butter and chocolate.  Cook and stir over low heat until melted; cool slightly.

2.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.  Prepare pastry for a single-crust pie in a 9-inch pie dish.

3.  For filling, in a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla.  Stir in melted chocolate and the chocolate pieces (and pepper mint extract if substituting.)  Pour filling into the pastry-lined pie plate.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven about 55 minutes or until filling is evenly puffed and edge of filling is slightly cracked.  Cool on a wire rack about 20 minutes or until slightly warm (center will sink slightly as pie cools.)  Top each serving with whipped cream and, if desired, garnish with a mini candy cane or crushed candy canes.  Makes 8 servings.

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Baking magazine, December 2010

Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites

 

 Oh, you know I love a surprise in the middle!  In fact, I recently saw this pan in the Sur La Table catalog and I'm trying to figure out how to justify getting it:

See what they're doing there?  There's a little spike in the middle that HOLDS your surprise filling in place (in this case, COOKIE DOUGH, so thrilling!) so it stays right where it should and doesn't sink.  I love how this designer thinks.

But back to my brownie bites.  These were done in mini muffin pans so I couldn't have used the fancy pan anyway.  But you could use a mini cheesecake or bouchon mold and they would be even prettier than mine.  I just don't have either of those...yet!

Regardless, these bites are festive, easy, and crowd-pleasing (which around here means kid-pleasing, especially since they got to help.)  And while I'm generally a from-scratch kind of girl, sometimes it's great to just use a mix. 

 

OK, one last note.  Have you tried candy cane kisses yet?   Of course you have, because you bought them to make last year's Peppermint Kiss Cookies.  Well I really like them, but just one complaint.  They claim to have "candy cane pieces" in them, which you would believe if you never looked closely.  But what they have are stripes, mint flavor, and red-and-white nonpariels inside for the pretend-candy-cane crunch.  C'mon, just be accurate. 

And on that note, here's a great recipe!

Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites (print recipe)
1 brownie mix (9 x 13 size)
24 Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 T heavy cream
3 candy canes, crushed

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full.  Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top.

 Bake for about 20 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.  Let cool completely.

2.  Melt chocolate chips and cream in microwave 30 second intervals until smooth and melted.  Stir until silky smooth.  You can place back in microwave for 10 seconds to smooth more if needed.  Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.  Serve with a tall glass of milk.

Recipe from http://picky-palate.com/

MINTY Week #5 Dipped Mint Chocolate Cookies

Do you know what today is? My bet is if you are eating chocolate-covered Cheerios for breakfast you do. Chocoholics, rejoice! It is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day! Aah, I love December.

So today I have for you chocolate-mint dipped cookies. Basically Thin Mints, those timelessly tempting sirens of the Girl Scout line-up. They taste and look just like 'em. Even better, actually. And they are fun, fun, fun to make. If you consider dipping things in chocolate as therapeutic as I do.

How do you like my swirly top? At first they were flat and smooth, and since I didn't feel like sprinkling them with crushed candy canes (although you certainly could), I took a toothpick and made them twirly-swirly. Hey, I knew these would be a home run, and since they happen to fit into MINTY Week AND Chocolate Covered Anything Day, I stayed up extra late to get these posted today. But if you're a little tired of mint, or curious about your chocolate-dipping options, CDKitchen has a nice list of recipes for you. And don't forget my serendipitously timed Dipping Tutorial.

Dipped Mint Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Chocolate-Peppermint Coating (see below)

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer (I did it all.) Beat in remaining flour with wooden spoon if your mixer isn't tough enough.

2. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 10-inch roll. Wrap each roll in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour or until dough is firm enough to slice.

3. Preheat oven to 375. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices (envision the thickness of a Thin Mint.) Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (they do not spread much.)

4. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

5. Dip each cookie into Chocolate-Peppermint Coating, turning to coat all sides of cookie. Using a thin metal spatula or fork, scrape or shake off excess coating so cookie is covered with a thin layer. Reheat coating as necessary. Place cookies on cookie sheets lined with wax paper, not touching. If desired, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies while coating is still wet. Or make yours swirly like mine with a toothpick. Chill until coating is set, about 30 minutes. Makes about 68 cookies.

Chocolate-Peppermint Coating
24 oz. semisweet chocolate pieces or chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup (4 T) shortening
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate, shortening and extract. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until chocolate and shortening are melted.

To Store: Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine, December 2010

Click here for printable recipe

MINTY Week #4 Peppermint Cream Bars with White Chocolate Ganache

Raise your hand if you've ever had white chocolate ganache. Hello, welcome to my repertoire. What a keeper this entire recipe is! Gorgeous, check. Easy (all done in one batch), check. Festive and flavorful, check, check. Chewy and creamy, check. Melty in your minty mouthy, CHECK!!! Definitely, definitely permanent additions to the goody plate rotation.

Peppermint Cream Bars with White Chocolate Ganache
1 17.5 oz. package sugar cookie mix
2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
4 egg yolks
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract (depending on your taste)
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
White Chocolate Ganache (see below, oh yeah)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Lightly grease foil; set pan aside.

2. For crust, in a large bowl, stir together cookie mix and flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

3. For filling, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract. Stir in crushed candies. Carefully pour filling over hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until filling is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover; chill for 30 minutes or until cool.

4. Pour White Chocolate Ganache over top of baked mixture, spreading evenly. Cover and chill again about 1 hour or until firm. Using the edges of the foil, lift cookies out of pan. Cut into bars. Makes 36.

White Chocolate Ganache
1/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz. chopped white baking chocolate (the good stuff, with cocoa butter, not pretend white mystery bars)

In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate (do not stir.) Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool about 5 minutes before using.

TO STORE: Layer bars between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine, 2010
Bars made by Shanna S.

Click here for printable recipe

Peppermint-Twist Biscotti

Besides being yummy, biscotti makes a great giveaway treat because it doesn't really go stale, or at least not for a long time. It bakes once to bake and twice to make it hard and crunchy, which makes it a great cookie for dunking in hot holiday drinks. An added bonus is its long narrow shape, which makes it fun and easy to package in a canister, glass/mug, or gift treat bag. Take all these fabulous characteristics, add a bunch of crushed candy canes and peppermint flavor, and you've pretty much got the perfect goody plate treat.

Notes:

• If you want all the taste with a little less work, skip the whole food coloring and twisted rope part of step 2. It's just for looks.
• If you do want the twist and need red paste food coloring, try Michael's, a cake/candy supplier or I ordered mine on Amazon.


• The peppermint icing is sweet, and makes the biscotti super yummy if you're eating it plain or dipping in something unsweetened like black coffee or tea. But if you're dunking in hot chocolate or something sweet, go light on the icing or leave it off completely.


• If you want a mint-chocolate thing, no problem. Just melt some dark chocolate in the microwave with a tiny bit of shortening or butter, then drizzle or dip the biscotti.

Peppermint-Twist Biscotti

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 T baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candy canes or peppermint candies

Red paste food coloring

Peppermint Icing (see below)

Chopped peppermint candy cans, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with foil; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and peppermint extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour and the 1 cup chopped candy canes.

2. Divide dough in half. Tint one portion of dough with red food coloring. Divide each half of dough into three portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 14-inch-long rope. On prepared cookie sheet, place a rope of each color side by side. Twist pairs of ropes around each other several times. Flatten twists until 2 inches wide; place about 4 inches apart on the cookie sheet (they expand a lot while cooking.)

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown and tops are cracked. Cool completely on cookie sheet on a wire rack. Carefully peel foil away from twists.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Transfer twists to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut twists diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices, cut side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn slices over. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more. Turn oven off and let biscotti sit in there for 30 to 40 minutes to complete drying. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. Drizzle cooled cookies with Peppermint Icing. If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped candy canes. Let stand until set.

Peppermint Icing

In a medium bowl stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 T milk and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract until smooth. Add enough additional milk (about 2 T) to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Cookie Book

Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake

This was for the preschool fun fair cake walk. My friend's mom won it, got a knife from the school kitchen, brought it out to a picnic table, and starting cutting into it and serving it up to her grandkids on the spot. It was a beautiful, gratifying thing to watch from my nearby perch at the bake sale.

Below you've got three recipes: Chocolate Ganache for the outside, chocolate cake, and Peppermint Buttercream Frosting for between the layers. Make the ganache first so it can cool while the cake cooks. While the cake is cooking or cooling, make the peppermint frosting. Then be sure to inhale deeply while assembling (and lick your fingers - no one will know!)

Chocolate Ganache
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 T Peppermint Schapps or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Place the cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate (yum!) in a large mixing bowl. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate (yum yum!) Stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the extract.

2. Let ganache stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or chill it until it thickens and is spreadable.

Chocolate Cake
Even with generous grease and flour, sometimes my layer cakes fall apart trying to get them out of a pan, so I usually do this extra step that's worth the effort. Trace cake pans on parchment paper, then cut out circles slightly smaller than the tracing. Place inside cake pan after greasing/flouring, and pour batter on top. Comes out every time, then all you have to do is peel the parchment off the cake.

1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour. Set aside.

2. Place cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop, scrape sides, increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more until thick and well combined. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing it out with rubber spatula. Place pans in oven side by side.

3. Bake cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with finger and just start to pull away from the sides of the pan, 28-30 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that the cakes are right-side-up. Cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Prepare peppermint frosting.

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
This recipe is just for filling between the layers; double it to frost a whole cake.

4 T (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 1 1/2 T milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the peppermint candy, sugar, milk and extract. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute. Increase to medium speed and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in more milk if frosting is too stiff.2. Place one cake layer, right side up, on serving platter or cake stand. Spread the top with peppermint frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of cake with chocolate ganache that has cooled and is spreadable. Work with clean, smooth strokes. Chill the cake until ready to serve.

I decorated the top with Junior Mints left over from the surprise mint cookies I was also making for the bake sale. Other garnish ideas: more crushed peppermint candy, crushed regular or mint Oreos, York peppermint patties, fresh mint leaves, shaved chocolate, drizzled melted white chocolate. I don't usually get too creative decorating cakes, but an empty canvas like a ganached layer cake calls for something!Recipes from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrne

VGP #28 Brownie Biscotti

I guess not everyone likes biscotti, but that's only because those people are crazy. I know it's crunchy and dry, as opposed to chewy and gooey, but these ones in particular are so dense and flavorful you can't lose. Just get a glass of milk or mug of cocoa and let the dunking begin! These are especially lovely as gifts wrapped up in colored cellophane bags with pretty ribbons and a hot chocolate packet.

I don't usually put nuts in the dough because it's harder to make even slices in step 5. Instead, I used chopped nuts, crushed cookies, sprinkles or candy to dip them in after the chocolate dip. There's some room to be artistic here. Pistachios are especially festive because of the green color. Recipe from Brownie Mix Bliss by Camilla Saulsbury.

Biscotti:
1 (19.5 to 19.8 oz) pkg brownie mix
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

2. Combine brownie mix, flour, melted butter, eggs, and nuts. Blend with an electric mixter set on low until well blended. Scrape down sides (mixture will be stiff.)

3. Transfer dough to prepared cookie sheet. With floured hands, shape dough into 2 rectangles, each 14 inches long by 3 inches wide, and ¾ inch thick, spacing abt 4-5 inches apart on sheet. Mound dough so it is slightly higher in the center than at the edges. Place cookie sheet in oven.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes, until firm to touch; remove from oven and cool on sheet for 10 minutes (leave oven on.)

5. With spatula transfer logs to cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice each rectangle into ¾ inch slices on the diagonal. Return slices to sheet, cut sides down.

6. Return sheet to oven. Bake biscotti 10 minutes. Turn oven off and let biscotti remain in oven until crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes longer. Remove from oven and transfer biscotti to a rack. Cool completely. If desired, prepare Chocolate Dip and with a butter knife or small offset spatula spread over one side of each biscotti. Dip in crushed candy, nuts or cookies if desired. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour to set chocolate. Store in an airtight container or plastic ziploc bag for up to 3 weeks.

Chocolate Dip:

1 cup semisweet, milk or white chocolate or cinnamon baking chips
1 T vegetable shortening

Melt chips and shortening in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring often to avoid scorching. Makes about 1 cup melted chocolate.

VGP #22 Peppermint Bonbon Cookies

I am SO in love with these cookies! They are only for the real chocolate lovers out there. I'm not talking about some token portion of cocoa powder; no, these start out with a hefty combo of melted bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates. Then later you add in some semisweet chocolate chips for good measure. Throw in crushed peppermint candy and peppermint extract and we have got a very serious confection. The kind that gave my eyes a minty tingle when I opened the oven, similar to the effect of walking into the peppermint room at Celestial Seasonings.

The chocolate is dark, the mint is sweet and fresh.
Merry Christmas to me.

8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies*
6 T sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Additional coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar, optional
2 1/2 tsp milk, optional
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted, optional

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in large saucepan - this is the pan all the batter will be mixed in so make sure it is at least 2 quarts. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies and 6 T sugar. Let cool 30 minutes.

2. Add eggs to melted chocolate, 1 at a time, stirring well. Stir in extracts.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chocolate morsels. Cover and chill dough 2 hours or until firm enough to shape.

4. Heat oven to 325. Shape dough into balls (I kept them small to make them more like bonbons); place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and cracked on top. Sprinkle coarsely crushed peppermints onto cookies; press candy lightly into cookies. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

5. Optional glazing: Whisk together powdered sugar and milk; drizzle over cooled cookies. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle cookies again with chopped peppermint. Let cookies stand until glaze and chocolate are firm.

Makes about 4 dozen of the size in the picture

*The food processor trumps all as the best way to chop candies - thanks for the tip, Kat!

Recipe from Oxmoor House magazine, June 2007

VGP #13 Peppermint Molasses Cookies

What? Yes, you read that right. It's nearly impossible to get more Christmasy than peppermint and spice cookies. Maybe that seems a strange combination - it did to me at first. But they compliment each other perfectly and the result is a holiday treat that could easily become a family tradition.

Tips:

- To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.
- To drizzle peppermint icing evenly, use a spoon or fork or something. I put it in a ziploc bag and snipped off one corner like a piping bag, but it kept getting clogged with candy pieces. The I cut the hole bigger and it fell out too fast in globs. Artistique, non? Well, it still tastes delicious.2/3 cup butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup crushed hard peppermint candy such as Starlights or candy canes

Peppermint icing (see recipe below)

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 2/3 cup butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture, then beat just until dough comes together. Stir in peppermint candy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls or scoop with cookie scoop and place about 2 inches apart on buttered (or parchment-lined) baking sheets.

4. Bake cookies in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 13 minutes. Allow to rest for about 1minute on sheet before moving to a wire cooling rack with spatula. When cool, drizzle with Peppermint Icing.

Peppermint Icing: In a bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 T milk, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, mix in more milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until thin enough. Stir in 1 T finely crushed hard peppermint candy and 1 to 2 drops red food coloring if desired.

Makes about 3 dozen

VGP #6 Peppermint Crunch Bark

Last year my friend Kristin Taylor gave me a gorgeous square box full of this bark for Christmas. Her mother-in-law works for the Pottery Barn family of stores so I was SURE she got a box from Williams-Sonoma and divided it among friends. No complaints here, so I thanked her profusely only to discover she MADE it herself! It was amazing, and this year she gave me - and you - the recipe, with her own tips and adjustments. Then she cursed me for asking for it because then it made her want to make and eat it. So sorry, Kristin.

10 oz. good quality white chocolate (such as Lindt, Ghiradelli or Baker's), finely chopped
30 red-and-white striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 oz.)*
8 oz. good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 T whipping cream
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1. Turn large baking sheet bottom-side-up. Cover securely with foil. Mark a 9x12-inch rectangle on foil. Stir semisweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just melted and smooth. Pour onto rectangle on foil. Using icing spatula, spread chocolate to fill rectangle. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water) until chocolate is melted and smooth and candy thermometer registers 110 degrees (chocolate will feel warm to touch.) Remove from over water. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Pour white chocolate mixture in long lines over dark chocolate rectangle. Using icing spatula, spread white chocolate in even layer. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

3. Lift foil with bark onto work surface; trim edges and EAT THEM! Cut bark into fancy squares or triangles or (my preferred method) break into random pieces. Store chilled in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Just lovely!

Makes 1 serving if you're me

*Tip: To easily crush peppermint candy, freeze them first. Then place them in double ziploc bags and smash with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. They'll shatter like glass.