Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

I know this post is late...really late. I had planned on posting it around Christmas as a way to use up extra candy canes. Ahem...but maybe you still have candy canes lying around. If not you can use regular mint candies. Regardless, these cookies are good any time of year! The original recipe was from Woman's Day. But I changed it up a bit and used the Reese's cookie chocolate base, and the Womans Day ganache and technique. The Reese's cookies are so much more soft, and I'm a sucker for soft, moist cookies! So, I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe!

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
 
For the cookie:

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350° F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoon-fulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 mins. (Do not overbake, cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

For the Ganache:

3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tbs. heavy cream

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the heavy cream on high until simmering, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 3/4 cup chips to the cream and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Put it all together:

8 candy canes (or other mint candies), about 3/4 cups, smashed
 
Spread the chocolate mixture on top of each cookie (about 1/2 tsp each); top with the candy canes. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I had three bananas to use up. Because Daniel and I have been making more of an effort to eat healthier, I didn't want to make sugary banana bread/muffins. So, I found something similar to this recipe on allrecipes.com, and this is what I came up with. You can really add just about anything to these cookies, bruised apples, chocolate chips, nuts, the sky's the limit!

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies

3 bananas, mashed
2 c. oats
1/3 c. craisins (I would have added more, but that's all I had)
1/2 c. raisins
1/3 c. applesauce (the original recipe used oil)
1 tsp. cinnamon, maybe more
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients, let sit for 15 mins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfulls onto a greased baking sheet. Flatten. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 13-15 mins. Or until slightly brown.

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

It's time for our bi-weekly excuse for dessert...we are having the missionaries (from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) over for dinner tonight. I decided to make cookies. I felt obligated to taste them (just in case they aren't any good). They are great!

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 c. peanut butter chips

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoon-fulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 mins. (Do not overbake, cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen. 

Mint Chocolate Delights

I was in the mood to bake this evening. I bought some of Nestle's Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels during the Holidays with the intention to make something yummy. I never did. So I thought I would use them today. I got the recipe from the back of the bag. They are delicious!

2 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 2/3 c. Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels (I am pretty sure these were a seasonal thing, but I am sure there are mint chips available at any time of year. You could just do half mint and half semi-sweet.)

Preheat oven to 325*F. Combine flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a small bowl.  In a large bowl beat butter, sugars, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake 11-13 mins. or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool for 2 mins on pan, and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Molassadoodles

Recipe courtesy of my mom:

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. shortening

1/4 c. molasses

1 egg

2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 tsp. salt

granulated sugar to roll cookies in

Heat oven to 350 F. In large bowl combine first four ingredients. Beat at med. speed until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms (it'll be pretty thick) shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes until set. Cool completely before storing (if they last that long). Makes 3 dozen.

Choodles

I LOVE these! They are chocolate snickerdoodles. Anything is better with chocolate in it!



Choodles

1 1/4 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350* F. In a mixing bowl combine shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until creamy. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix together well. Form into small balls, roll in powdered sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are really great. They are super easy, and don't take any ingredients that you don't have at home. Mom Standage gave me this recipe and I really enjoy it. My only suggestion/idea is to try them with peanut butter in them.



Oatmeal Cookies

1 c flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c shortening
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 c chopped nuts
3/4 c oatmeal

I a mixing bowl stir together flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening, egg, and vanilla. Beat well. stir in oats and nuts. Form into balls. dip tops in additional granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes.

Makes approx. 3 1/2 dozen

Classic No-bake ("On Top of the Stove") Cookies

These are delicious and easy cookies that both my husband and I grew up loving.  This was one of the first recipes I helped cook, and the first recipe I cooked all by myself. It brings back good memories of cooking with my mom and dad in the kitchen.  I have pictures of me helping my mom make these when I was young, and I am passing on the tradition. I am not sure where mine is, but here's one of my husband and daughter as we were making some together.

I am not sure if it is the taste of these great cookies, or the countless memories that they bring with them that I enjoy the most!

Classic No-Bake Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. Cocoa powder (I usually add a little more...but I could be considered a chocoholic)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter
3 c. oats

In large sauce pan, mix and bring to boil: sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter. Stirring occasionally. Boil 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, peanut butter and oats. Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoon fulls on wax paper or on lightly greased pan. Cool.

Note: You have to work fast once you have taken the pan off the heat, because the mix will start to dry and harden. Also, I like to add a little something extra such as coconut and or raisins to add some variety. YUM!

As I was trying to take pictures, Heather attacked the cookies.

Yep, it was good!

Linked to: http://utry.it/2011/03/culinary-smackdown-battlecookies.html