Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
I saw this recipe on a cooking show and decided to make them, and I'm glad I did! The mint flavor with the chocolate is perfect.
I saw this recipe on a cooking show and decided to make them, and I'm glad I did! The mint flavor with the chocolate is perfect.
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- 4 ounces milk chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 45 each round swirled peppermint candies coarsely crushed
- Carbohydrate 386.2579 g
- Cholesterol 1147.42833333333 mg
- Fat 67.96344 g
- Fiber 3.64750007430712 g
- Protein 42.05474 g
- Saturated Fat 34.63185 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Dozen (709g)
- Sodium 2082.70933271321 mg
- Sugar 382.610399925693 g
- Trans Fat 7.51708733333333 g
- Calories 2289 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 325. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, extracts, and eggs; mix on medium-low speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Stir in one-third of the candies. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 30 minutes (or wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight).
- Using a 11/2-inch ice cream scoop, form mounds of dough; dip tops into remaining candies to coat. Place cookies, candy sides up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until just set, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
Chilling the chocolate cookie dough for precisely thirty minutes prevents excessive spreading in the oven by allowing the solid fats in the butter to re-congeal after the mixing process. Without this crucial rest, the melted milk chocolate and butter mixture would liquefy too quickly upon contact with the 325-degree heat, resulting in a thin, brittle structure rather than a soft-centered cookie. Temperature management during the initial melting phase is equally critical, requiring a gentle double boiler setup where the bowl never touches the simmering water below to prevent scorching the dairy solids in the chocolate.
Cocoa powder choice heavily dictates the final color and pH balance of the baked good, with Dutch-process powder having been treated with an alkalizing agent to neutralize its natural acidity. This chemical neutrality means the powder relies entirely on the baking soda for minor structural lift while delivering a smoother, earthier chocolate profile without the harsh astringency found in natural varieties. Whisking this powder alongside the flour, salt, and baking soda before incorporation ensures even distribution and eliminates bitter pockets of dry ingredients in the final batter.
Freezing unbaked portions of the scooped dough offers an efficient method for long-term storage while preserving the volatile oils in the peppermint extract that tend to degrade over time. Portion the dough mounds using a 1 1/2-inch scoop and freeze them on a parchment-lined sheet before transferring them to an airtight freezer bag, where they will maintain optimal quality for up to two months. When ready to bake, add two extra minutes to the standard fifteen-minute bake time to account for the frozen internal temperature of the dough.
Baking adjustments for dietary restrictions remain straightforward, as the eggs and butter can be substituted using commercial replacers or plant-based fats, though structural density will inevitably shift due to altered protein networks. Standard all-purpose flour contains approximately ten to twelve percent protein, which provides the necessary gluten matrix to support the heavy inclusion of chopped chocolate and crushed candies without crumbling.
