Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints

I saw these cookies in the latest issue of EveryDay Food Magazine and knew they were the perfect cookie for my holiday treat plates. A quick brownie-like cookie that is filled with a creamy, peppermint-chocolate filling- what could be better? These were received with rave reviews and quite a few requests for the recipe.

Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprints

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.
2. Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon make an indentation in center of each cookie.
3. Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large zip-top bag; snip 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.
   

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Pizza Pie

This is the last thing I baked before my brother left. It's a crazy concoction that we decided to call Mint Brownie Ice Cream Pizza Pie.

I'm not sure how this idea came about but my kids started talking about Ice Cream Pizza and I wanted to make the idea come to life. When thinking about it in my mind I decided that brownies would be the "crust", ice cream would be the "sauce", whipped cream and Peppermint Patties would be the "toppings" and sprinkles would be the "cheese". This was a thick pizza.

First, I made a batch of Thin Mint Brownies, but with Grasshopper Cookies instead of Thin Mints, in a 9-inch springform pan.
Then, I mixed chopped Cool Mint Oreos into some vanilla ice cream that we had in the freezer. I prefer lots of mix-ins when it comes to ice cream, so this ice cream was loaded.

I let the brownies cool and then I spread the ice cream mixture on top of the brownies and put the whole thing back in the freezer so the ice cream could firm up. This was not a good idea.

When I was ready to serve a piece of this pizza thing and top it with the whipped cream and sprinkles, cutting through it was an absolute joke. The brownie was rock hard.
So, I did what any person might do to save the dessert and scrapped off the ice cream layer from the brownie base. I put the ice cream back in the freezer and let the brownie thaw for a little while.
When the brownie was unfrozen and cut-able, I cut wedges of it and topped them with ice cream by spoon.
Then I piped the whipped cream on top of the ice cream, sprinkled sprinkles and put a Peppermint Patty on top.

Here is a diagram.
This dessert was quite decadent. It was a complete hit with my brother, my husband and my son. One of my daughters just ate the ice cream, whipped cream and sprinkles/candy. I thought the brownie was a little too much with all the other elements. I would've been just as happy with just the ice cream and a Peppermint Patty, but it was fun to create and certain members of our family ate more than one piece (I don't know how they managed it, because this was one heck of a sugar overload). Thank goodness we had a healthy dinner (just the vinaigrette over lots of mixed salad greens) before trying this dessert.

There isn't really a recipe for the entire thing, just a method to the madness. If nothing else, at least it will be a fun experiment!


Here is the recipe for the Thin Mint Brownies via the Food Librarian
* I used Grasshopper Cookies
* I baked my brownies in a 9-inch springform pan

I mixed 1/2 pkg of chopped Cool Mint Oreos into some Vanilla Ice Cream and returned it to the freezer until needed

I topped it all off with sweetened whipped cream- a tsp of vanilla extract and a few Tablespoons of powdered sugar- to taste- beat into heavy cream until stiff peaks form

Sprinkles and York Peppermint Patties were the final topping

Mini Peppermint Bark Cheesecakes

Here is the perfect addition to any holiday party or dinner. These little cheesecakes would also make a perfect gift.
I made these a couple weeks ago and took them to one of the first Christmas activities we had in December.
We love peppermint bark, but I have only had it homemade. My mom usually makes this recipe, which I usually make also, but this time I decided to try a version that had a dark chocolate layer on the bottom.

I found this peppermint bark cheesecake recipe over at Anne Strawberry and coincidently, she made this version when it was her turn to pick for Tuesday's with Dorie, about 2 years ago. So the base cheesecake recipe is Dorie's, which means it will turn out perfectly.
These cheesecakes consist of a chocolate cookie crust, swirled layers of white chocolate and peppermint flavored cheesecake, with a sprinkling of Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
in between the cheesecake layers, slightly sweetened whipped cream and topped off with a piece of homemade peppermint bark.
Decadent and Delicious.
There are a few reasons why I like to make mini cheesecakes. 1- They can be made a day ahead and sit in the fridge overnight to chill, 2- almost everyone loves cheesecake, but it is so rich and highly-caloric that you can't enjoy it too often- a smaller serving solves that problem, 3- no worries about waterbaths or tops cracking, 4- they are easy and portable, fun to share and yummy. There are probably more reasons, but those are the ones I can come up at the moment.

These were a hit. I loved how they turned out.


Recipe for Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
* I made 1/2 the recipe and got 21 mini cheesecakes
* I made a chocolate cookie crust


Recipe for Easy Press-in Pie Crust
*I made 2/3 of the recipe
* I made the chocolate version, using Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers

Recipe for Peppermint Bark
* I used 2 oz bittersweet chocolate and 4 oz semisweet chocolate
* I used almond bark instead of white chocolate


Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great Holiday weekend!

2 Fun Christmas Treats for Kids- Brownie Buttons & Candy Cane Kiss Blossoms

I wasn't planning on posting about these 2 recipes that I made for my son's Christmas party at school. I don't post everything single thing that I make and I was just going to make these and let it be.
But, my 4-year old had so much fun helping me make these 2 treats that I changed my mind.

First, we made Candy Cane Kiss Blossoms using Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses.
They are based on the same idea as Peanut Butter Blossoms, which are peanut butter cookies with a milk chocolate Hershey's Kiss in the middle.
The dough is super easy to mix together and really easy to roll into little balls. My daughter loved making the little balls of dough and then rolling them in green and red colored sugar. We also rolled some in nonpareils.
They bake up in just a few minutes and then you are suppose to let them cool for a few minutes before you put the Candy Cane Kiss in the center. My daughter couldn't wait, since she had helped me unwrap all the Kisses, so we put them in when the cookies were still warm. The melted and so we just got a toothpick and smoothed out the tip and once they had cooled, we put the cookies in the fridge, so the centers could set. Very easy, festive and fun.
Then, we made Brownie Buttons. I have made these before and the usual topping is supposed to be white chocolate. I had a half a bag of Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips in the pantry, so I melted those and we dipped the brownie tops in that. Then we added lots of sprinkles. This topping gave a nice little peppermint-y flavor to the bite-size brownies.

The kids in my son's class enjoyed these fun treats. I popped a few of each one in the freezer to save for later this week, so we can put them out for Santa!

Recipe for Candy Cane Kiss Blossoms
* I used skim milk in the dough and it worked out perfectly

Recipe for Brownie Buttons
* I used Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips as the topping- I melted them in the microwave and then dipped the brownies
* I omitted the citrus zest called for in this recipe

Peppermint Ice Cream

There are so many delightful holiday flavors and I love almost all of them.
One of my favorites right now is Peppermint.
I made a Cooking Light version of Peppermint Ice Cream last year, and while it was pretty good for a lighter choice, with ice cream, I think that the real, full fat version produces better results. My family definitely agreed with me on that when I made this ice cream.
This recipe came from Simply Recipes, which happens to be the place where I found one of our favorite ice cream recipes earlier this year-Mint Chocolate Chip.

I happened to have 8 egg yolks in my fridge, leftover from my daughters birthday cake, so this recipe was the perfect way to use them.

This ice cream was silky, smooth and perfectly peppermint-y.
My husband loved it. He ate most of it. And whenever he loves the ice cream I make, I consider it a huge success.
This ice cream was so creamy and delicious. The perfect peppermint treat!




Recipe for Peppermint Ice Cream
* I used 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream
* I used 2 tsp Peppermint extract

TWD- Brrr-ownies

Tuesdays with Dorie is brought to you today by Karen, who blogs over at Welcome to our Crazy Blessed Life. You can find the recipe for this week's recipe, Brrrrr-ownies, on her blog. Brrrr-ownies happen to be Dorie's take on a brownie that is chock full of chopped Peppermint Patties.

I wasn't going to make these, mostly because I have made something very similar- Martha Stewarts Mint-filled Brownie Cupcakes, many, many times (my son requests them all the time) and also because I could care less about brownies.

But, when I asked my kids what treat they wanted for our weekly Family Home Evening, my 8 year old son yelled out "Peppermint Brownies" and he had no idea that these were the assignment for this week. He just loves brownies.

So, we went to the store and bought some York Peppermint Patties and threw these babies together.
Easy, peasy.

I skipped the double boiler method and just melted my butter and chocolate on the stovetop. That is how we always made brownies when I was growing up, so I figured it would be fine.
I also used semi-sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet, because that is what I happened to have on hand. Because I used semi-sweet I reduced the sugar in the brownie by quite a few Tablespoons.

I mixed up the rest of the batter, added the chopped patties and smoothed my batter into the foil-lined pan. I skipped out on the butter and just used baking cooking spray with flour to coat my foil.

These brownies were like volcanos! The mint blobs were bubbling and exploding like crazy. We turned on the oven light and watched. Great entertainment.

My kids loved these. They reported that they were chewy, gooey, sticky, and delicious.
I thought they were ok.
Honestly, I would rather just eat Peppermint Patties, but I don't like brownies, so who am I to judge?

To see who else participated this week and what they thought about these Brrrrr-ownies, check out the TWD Leave Your Link for this week!
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Peppermint Patties with Peppermint Ice Cream

So, in a couple of hours we leave for Disneyworld.
We are driving through the night and we will go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning.
This is the first time I have ever been there, as well as the first time my kids have ever been there. We are going with our good friends who have children the exact same ages as our kids.
It is going to be fun!
We will be spending Christmas down there.
I can't wait!
I wanted to leave you with a yummy treat.
I saw these festive Peppermint Patties on Aggie's blog a week or so ago.
Aggie is one of 5 bloggers who participates in the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, and this month their theme was a Cookie Exchange.
I know that I have seen these cookies in a Cooking Light cookbook a couple of times, but when I saw them on Aggie's blog, I realized that I had to make them.
Her pictures were absolutely scrumptious and around the holidays, you can always use a lighter treat.
I have also been wanting to make Peppermint Ice Cream, but kept on telling myself it was not necessary. I happened to find a recipe for Peppermint Ice Cream from Cooking Light and decided to combine the two recipes.
Originally these ice cream sandwiches are supposed to be filled with vanilla ice cream and then rolled in crushed peppermint candy, but I decided to make and use the Peppermint Ice Cream.
I also decided that I would try and take pictures before the sandwiches set up in the freezer. Bad idea! Talk about a melty mess.
So, then I let the ice cream set in the freezer for a couple hours and followed the instructions, which said to wrap the sandwiches once you fill them with ice cream and roll them in candy, in plastic wrap and let them set up in the freezer for 4 hours before serving. Genius!
Who would have thought that actually following the instructions would make a difference? Just kidding on that one.

The ice cream was a little bit overly sweet for me on its own, but with the cookies it tasted just right.
I added 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the ice cream, to up the peppermint flavor.
My kids also sneaked a couple of cookies plain and thought they were delicious.
This is a fun, festive holiday treat, that can be made in advance and the results are yummy! Just make sure to give yourself enough time to let the sandwiches set up properly.

Have a great week!



Aggie's post about Peppermint Patties

Recipe for Peppermint Patties

Recipe for Peppermint Ice Cream

More Christmas Cookies and Treats

When my sister was here visiting a couple weeks ago, I asked her what cookies she wanted me to make and send her for Christmas. I gave her some Holiday Baking Magazines and told her to pick as many as she wanted.
She folded down lots and lots of pages and then I narrowed it down to 6. I chose things that I could make all in the same day and then threw in a couple more treats at the end.

First up is Peppermint Bark. This is a Christmas goodie that my mom has made for quite a few years and she uses Martha Stewarts recipe. I actually like it better when you use almond bark instead of white chocolate, so that is what I did. I like to sprinkle some of the chopped candy canes on top, as well as mixing them into the melted white stuff. My hubby really likes this and so do my kids. Great gift.
Recipe for Peppermint Bark
My sister requested a molasses cookie and I decided I would make Dorie's recipe, because I knew it was a crowd pleaser. This time I didn't flatten my balls of dough, so I had smaller, chewier cookies. This recipe is so great that it really deserves a repeat.
I sent some of the last batch to my family, so they will be super excited to get more of them in the mail.

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies
I saw this cookie in a Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie issue and was intrigued by the combination of cornmeal and dried fruit in a cookie. I knew sending this cookie to someone else would be great, since most members of my family do not like cornmeal. The recipe originally called for dried cherries, but I subbed in dried cranberries because that is what I had in the pantry.
These also have orange zest and they aren't overly sweet. Great cookie.
Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

I saw this cookie in a couple of different Martha Stewart mags and remembered that Tracey made them a couple weeks ago. I figured bars are great for sending and these have all types of mix-ins, so they were added into the bunch.
I subbed in peanut butter chips for the butterscotch chips, toffee bits for the white chocolate and then, on top of that, these have chocolate chips, cut up caramels, and marshmallows.
What a combination. I think I will have to make these again. My son was upset that he didn't get to sample one.
Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars
My sister wanted these peanut butter bars. They were supposed to have Hershey's Kisses on top, but I thought they would send better if they didn't have those on top. They are a play on Peanut Butter Kisses, but easier to make because they are a bar. I used creamy peanut butter in these, instead of chunky.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

My sister chose these bars and I thought they were a great choice because they have green and red in them naturally. They have a basic butter, flour, brown sugar crust, which you prebake for a few minutes and then the cranberry-pistachio topping is added and they are put back in the oven to finish baking.
Great way to use fresh cranberries.
Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars
My sister also chose these pumpkin oatmeal raisin cookies. They are just like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with pumpkin puree added to the batter. I made these into bars, simply because I was trying to bake 8 different things all in one day and it made it easier for me.
I wasn't too excited about these, but I did taste a small square and they really were good. Definitely more tasty then they might seem.
So, these are all the items that made it into my treat box. I sent a few of most of these cookies to my Secret Baker.
I also made a batch of Spiced Pecans and the upcoming cookie for Tuesdays with Dorie got thrown into the mix too.
Needless to say, after this day of baking, packaging and mailing, I was wiped out. It was worth it though.
I also threw in a picture of the Cake Pops I made last weekend for a birthday party. These are a fun little treat for a Christmas or Holiday get-together, if you need a fun idea.
How-to for Cake Pops
Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal Cookies from Woman's Day Holiday Cookies 2009
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup walnuts (I omitted these)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins.
4. Drop by rounded Tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe for Peppermint Bark

Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

Cake Pops

3 Christmas Cookies with one Dough-Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels, Candy Cane Twists, and Peanut Butter Dips

I made these Christmas cookies last year- check out the post here. My son picked them out. They are one of those cookies that you can make with one main type of dough, adding in different things to make a bunch of different types of cookies. We are definitely going to make these again. They were a big hit last year!

Butter Cookie Dough from NickJr. Magazine Measurements for tripling are included in red

2 cups all-purpose flour (6 cups)

1 tsp baking powder (3 tsps)

1 tsp salt (3 tsps)

2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 cups or 4 sticks)

1/2 cup sugar (1 1/2 cups)

1 egg (3 eggs)

1 Tbls milk (3 Tbls)

1 tsp vanilla extract (3 tsps)

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat 1 minute more. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating until smooth.

4. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Candy Cane Twists

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Add 4-5 drops red food coloring to one half. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the other half. Mix each half well.

2. For each candy cane, on a floured surface, roll a tablespoon of each dough into a 4-inch long rope.

3. Twist the ropes together and bend to form a candy cane shape.

4. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy or candy canes.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Peanut Butter Dips

1. Roll Butter Cookie Dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a round cutter, cut out circles and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Combine 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1/3 cup confectioners sugar. Spread mixture on the bottoms of half of the cooled cookies, placing bottom to make a sandwich.

3. Melt 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used candy melts) in a bowl in the microwave on high. Stir every 30 seconds, until smooth. Dip sandwiches halfway into chocolate. Cool on waxed paper.

Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Pops

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into one half. Mix 5 drops green food coloring and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract into the other half.

2. On a floured surface, roll out each half into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle.

3. Place one half on top of the other. Roll with a rolling pin to help them stick together.

4. Starting from one long side, tightly roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

5. Cut 1/8-inch thick slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Insert a craft stick into each ( We didn't do this part). Bake at 375 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Butter Cookie Dough, 3 ways- Candy Cane Twists, Peanut Butter Dips, and Pinwheel Pops

My son saw these fun cookies in a little insert that comes in NickJr. Magazine and wanted to make them. It is one of those recipes, where you make a basic butter cookie dough and then add a few things in, to make different variations. There were 10 different variations, so I told him to choose his 3 favorite cookies and we would make them. He chose the Candy Cane Twists, Peanut Butter Dips, and Pinwheel Pops. I tripled the basic dough, divided it into 3 parts, and refrigerated it overnight. Then my son came down with strep :( I mixed the dough up accordingly and let it sit in the fridge again, overnight. Then, when he was sick and so sad, I made all the cookies with my girls, and set one of each aside for him, for when he started feeling better. Luckily, the medicine kicked in quickly and he is feeling much better, but he missed out on taking our cookie plates to people. At least he gave us the idea to bake and share some Christmas cookies to spread a little joy~

Butter Cookie Dough from NickJr. Magazine Measurements for tripling are included in red

2 cups all-purpose flour (6 cups)

1 tsp baking powder (3 tsps)

1 tsp salt (3 tsps)

2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (2 cups or 4 sticks)

1/2 cup sugar (1 1/2 cups)

1 egg (3 eggs)

1 Tbls milk (3 Tbls)

1 tsp vanilla extract (3 tsps)

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat 1 minute more. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating until smooth.

4. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Candy Cane Twists

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Add 4-5 drops red food coloring to one half. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the other half. Mix each half well.

2. For each candy cane, on a floured surface, roll a tablespoon of each dough into a 4-inch long rope.

3. Twist the ropes together and bend to form a candy cane shape.

4. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy or candy canes.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Peanut Butter Dips

1. Roll Butter Cookie Dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a round cutter, cut out circles and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. Combine 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1/3 cup confectioners sugar. Spread mixture on the bottoms of half of the cooled cookies, placing bottom to make a sandwich.

3. Melt 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used candy melts) in a bowl in the microwave on high. Stir every 30 seconds, until smooth. Dip sandwiches halfway into chocolate. Cool on waxed paper.

Pinwheel Pops

1. Divide Butter Cookie Dough in half. Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into one half. Mix 5 drops green food coloring and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract into the other half.

2. On a floured surface, roll out each half into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle.

3. Place one half on top of the other. Roll with a rolling pin to help them stick together.

4. Starting from one long side, tightly roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

5. Cut 1/8-inch thick slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Insert a craft stick into each ( We didn't do this part). Bake at 375 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Coming Tomorrow- Make-ahead Breakfast Casserole and Ruby Grapefruit