Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles

Every year I do some type of Christmas cookie that combines peppermint and chocolate. 2016’s creation is Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles, this little number pictured above. Look at her… I’m being totally modest when I tell you she’s amazing.

But it’s not just one cookie recipe I get to share with you today… There are seventeen others. Wait, what?!? I know…who knew life could be this good. To help you with all of your holiday cookie needs, I teamed up with an amazing group of food writers + recipe developers and we each created a new holiday cookie. We’re sharing these recipes today…all of the recipe links are below. Consider all of your holiday cookie needs sorted. Pop that champagne…let’s get baking!!

I made these Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles for Asha, from Food Fashion Party…who I adore. And if you’ve been reading me for awhile you know that I’ve mentioned her a handful of times. Her recipes, photos and stories are just filled with warmth and love and personality.

AND, I was lucky enough to receive cookies from Amisha, The Jam Lab. Amisha is so talented. Not only is she a talented baker (and cook!) but she also has a beautiful line of jams that are simply incredible (and would make amazing stocking stuffers). She is so kind and thoughtful. The cookies she sent to me are a gorgeous shortbread infused with Indian spices, dipped in white chocolate and coated in pistachios and rose petals. Stunning.

All of these bloggers are people I have come to admire. They are talented beyond words. I hope you’ll take the time to look at each of their cookie creations. You’ll be dazzled. Join us in using the hashtag #holidaycookieparty2016 across social media when you make + post any of these cookies or make your own holiday cookie. Let’s get our bake on!!

Holiday Cookie Exchange 2016

Wife Mama Foodie | Gluten Free Icebox Cookie

Now Forager | Vanilla Bean Marshmallow & Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Cookies

DisplacedHousewife | Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles

Tutti Dolci | Brown Butter Chai Snickerdoodles

The Daley Plate | Romany Creams

Cloudy Kitchen | Anzac Biscuits

The Beach House Kitchen | Double Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Vanilla and Bean | Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Chez LaRae | White Rollout Cookies

Husbands That Cook | Apple Cider Snickerdoodles

Rainy Day Bites | Melody Cookies

Bakeritablog | Gluten Free Brown Butter Shortbreads With Dark Chocolate

The Jam Lab | Thandai Shortbread Cookies

Katie Clova | Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Food Fashion Party | Stuffed Shortbread Cookies

My Kitchen Love | Chocolate Toffee Shortbread

No Crumbs Left | Peanut Butter Blossoms

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles

Makes About 2 Dozen Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoons milk (any fat percentage)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I love Hershey’s Special Dark)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Plus granulated and powdered sugar to roll the cookies in (about ¾ cup of each)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the butter, semi-sweet chocolate and milk in a large, microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave for about 1 minute. Take out of the microwave and stir. Stir until smooth and the mixture has no lumps. Your microwave may need 10 more seconds or 10 less…error on the side of less and then add more time in small 5 second increments so that you don’t burn your chocolate.
2. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and blend. Whisk in the eggs and peppermint extract. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the bread flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. Blend in as few strokes as possible.
5. Lay some plastic wrap on the counter, dump the dough on there, wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough will be sticky and tar-like…refrigeration will make it easier to handle.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and make sure you have a rack in the top 1/3 of the oven. Put 3/4 cup each of powdered sugar and granulated sugar in separate bowls to roll the cookie dough in. Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
7. Get about two tablespoons of dough and plop it into the granulated sugar and cover completely. Don’t shake any sugar off…leave it pretty well coated. Then roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Again, don’t shake off the excess. Make sure the dough is covered well in both sugars.
8. Place the covered dough balls on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 12 minutes. Don’t over bake…they will be soft and appear underdone when you pull them out of the oven.
9. Let the chocolate peppermint crinkles cool on the sheet for 15 minutes. Then remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack. You can take it from here. Try these with coffee (in the morning) or some red wine (at noon) or some whiskey (at night).
10. Thanks for making these Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles!! Please tag me so that I can see them @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife and for holiday cookies add #holidaycookieparty2016. PEACE.

On My Mind

• This cutie wrote a love letter to my Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chunk Cookie…and I love her for it. Thank you Augustina!!
• What are our thoughts on Westworld. A bunch of you recommended it while I was sick over the holiday. I like it. I’m into it. I can’t help but feel that the women are decoration…in much the same way they are in Game of Thrones. Thoughts? I like that the two strongest characters are women…but the eye candy is always lurking in the sidelines.
• I also really loved Stranger Things. I’m looking for any and all recommendations. I’ve been in a binge-watching mood. Leave them in the comments below!!
• Here’s an interview with Ina. I love her. I want her barn. Her life seems pretty dreamy. Or is it just me? Brett, I know you’re with me… Anyone else?
• More Holiday Treats: Cranberry Bark Peace Cookies, Cranberry Pecan Baked Apples, Candy Cane Ice Cream With Chocolate Pudding Cakes, Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Bark Crinkles, Cranberry Spice Breakfast Buns, Cranberry Scones, Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake, Five Spice Cranberries (three ways), Apple Spice Cake, Boozy Sugared Cranberry Cheesecake, Pomegranate Rosemary Cocktail, Easy Labneh Appetizer, Persimmon Salsa, Port Cranberry + Apple Petite Rosette Tarts, Pomegranate Burrata Salad, Fresh Fig + Toasted Pecan Salad,  Bacon Brussels Sprout Slaw, Baked Cranberry Apples and Five Spice Cherry Pie.
• Next week I’m heading out to Napa to hang with the coolest group of food people around — I can’t wait. I will be posting the whole thing on IG Stories, Instagram and I just might revisit Snapchat again…it faded off of my radar…but I’m thinking I’ll bring it back. Thoughts?
• Anything you guys want to see from me in the upcoming weeks? I have a TON of holiday desserts planned… Someone requested slow cooker stuff. Does anyone have an Instant Pot? It sounds magical…
• Sending lots of love!!

–Rebecca xoxo