Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookie

P Cookieseppermint Crunch Christmas

Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookies

 Recipe provided courtesy of Taste of Home magazine.  Find more great recipe

at www.tasteofhome.com

Several years ago, I took a basic shortbread recipe and turned it into a much more festive Christmas cookie.

         Heather Carter                                                                                Wasilla, AK

 

Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookie Recipe

Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookie

 

1 cup butter, soften

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. peppermint extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups flour

Red and green paste food coloring

8 oz. dark chocolate candy coating, melted

¾ cup crushed peppermint candies

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in extracts.  Gradually beat in flour.  Divide dough in half; tint one portion red; and the other green.  Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  On lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to ¼ inch thickness.  Cut with a floured 1 ½ inch round cookie cutter.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until racks are cool completely.

Dip half of each cookie into melted candy coating; allow excess to drip off.  Sprinkle with crushed candies.  Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.              3 ½ dozen

 

(Recipe for Peppermint Crunch Christmas Cookies came from tasteofhome.com, 2013)

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Chocolate Mint Bars Recipe

Chocolate Mint Bars

The dense base layer is like a rich, fudgy brownie, so don’t overcook it or the dessert bars will be dry.  Refrigerating the mint bars allows the chocolate top layer to set properly.  You can make the dessert up to one day ahead.  For a more grown-up-taste, you can also use dark chocolate chips for some or all of the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the glaze.

Chocolate Mint Bars Recipe

Chocolate Mint Bars

Bottom layer:    1 cup flour

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup egg substitute

¼ cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs, beaten

1 (16 oz.) can chocolate syrup (about 1 1/3 cups)

Cooking spray

Mint layer:   2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

½ tsp. peppermint extract

2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:   ¾ semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.   To prepare bottom layer; combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk.  Combine granulated sugar and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl; stir until smooth.  Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended.  Pour batter into a 13×9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 F. for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, ¼ cup melted butter and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth.   Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.

To prepare glaze, combine chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds.  Let stand 2 minutes.  Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Cut into 20 pieces/servings.

(Recipe for Chocolate Mint Bars, was in Cooking Light magazine)

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Hope you enjoyed the Chocolate Mint Bars, if so, click “Like”.  I look forward to hearing from you, so let me know how you liked it!!

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