Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 5

Its Friday which means its time for a super fun and colorful Christmas cookie post!  I love sprinkles and these cookies are loaded with them.  I have one of those containers of sprinkles with 5 different types in it, opened all the lids and just started shaking the sprinkles in.  Then I turned on the mixer and added more.  Haha, I might have gone a little nuts but you can never have too many sprinkles.  

This is a basic sugar cookie recipe, soft and chewy, just loaded up with sprinkles. The candy cane kiss on top is for extra color and holiday spirit.  You could make these for other holidays too with a chocolate kiss on top and sprinkles to match.  Hope you enjoy these as much as my work did!

Happy Holidays!

Sugar Cookie - Sallys Baking Addiction

Yield: 18-24 depending on size

Ingredients:

10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Lots of sprinkles - I used all different kinds
24 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses

Directions:

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. 
2. Using a hand-held or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 5 full minutes, scraping down the sides and the bottom as necessary. 
3. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beating on medium-high until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. 
4. In a medium bowl, toss the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed until fully combined. Add a few shakes of different types of sprinkles until the desired sprinkle to dough ratio is accomplished.
5. The dough will be very thick. If the dough is too sticky, chill for at least 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
7. Roll dough into balls, a little less than 1 Tablespoon of dough each. The dough may seem dry*, but the warmth of your hands will allow it to come together in a ball. 
8. Roll into assorted sprinkles and bake for 8-10 minutes. 
9. The cookies will look very, very under baked. That's what you need. Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. 
10. Press a Hershey Kiss into the center and immediately put the cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 minutes. Doing this will prevent the kiss from melting.  My cookie sheet wont fit into my freezer, not did I have room for it, so I waited a few minutes then put the kiss on the cookies.  It melted a little but didn't deform the kiss.   
11. Cookies remain fresh tightly covered at room temperature for 1 week.
12. Enjoy!!

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 2

Eating extreme amounts of peppermint flavored things is one of my favorite things about the holidays.  Everything from a peppermint mocha at Starbucks,  to Dove peppermint bark chocolates, to plain old candy canes, I just cant get enough.  I think that might put me on the naughty list, or might just mean I need to wear my fat pants for a month or two...

These cookies were on the top of my "To-Bake List" due to the Andes peppermint crunch thins in them.  They have a rich chocolate cookies base that is perfectly soft and chewy and then they are loaded with peppermint crunch.  Doesn't get much better then that!

If you are going to make these, which I highly recommend you do, make sure you have enough time to chill the dough.  Its a very important step and you cannot skip it.  I know time is tight around the holidays, everyone has a million things to do, just plan to make the dough, wrap some presents, then finish off the cookies in the oven!

Happy Baking & Happy Holidays!

Adapted from Mom on time out
Yield - 3 Dozen
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temp or even slightly melted
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Egg, room temperature
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips plus more for sprinkling on top - I couldn't find the baking chips so I just cut  up the peppermint thins

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream sugars and butter together until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg, vanilla and water and beat until well blended.
4. Gradually add in dry ingredients.
5. Fold in baking chips.
6. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
8. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
9. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheet. Dough is very thick.
10. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until they are set. Do not over bake!
11. Remove from oven, sprinkle with additional Andes chips if desired, and let cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
12. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

Happy Holidays!! I hope everyone is done with their shopping and spending all their time baking!!  This is such an easy recipe and super quick!! Anyone can whip this up for a holiday party or just to share with your family.  I am gonna make this post short and sweet because I have a lot to do! Merry Christmas!

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Fudge - Adapted from - Cake Duchess
Yield: 25 squares
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1 (14 Ounce) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
4 Candy Canes, crushed

Directions:

1. Line a 8 or 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper leaving about 2 inches around the sides of pan hanging out.
2. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Cook until chocolate melts, stirring often until smooth. 
3. Remove the chocolate from the heat. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and the peppermint extract. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
4. Let the fudge set for a hour or two.
5. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These cookies are so festive and they smell amazing! I love the combination of chocolate and peppermint.  I made dark chocolate peppermint fudge which I will be posting soon too!  The batter is just a chocolate roll out recipe from Bon Appitet magazine and then your creativity comes into play with whatever you want to do with the dough.  I made some stars and some ornaments with cutouts in the middle as well as I used Martha Stewart Holiday Stencils to make snowflakes and the holiday wreath.  I bought an 8 pack of her stencils and they are super cute!!  Happy Holiday Baking!!

Your recipe here, or I will be posting the bon appetit one soon!