Peppermint Patty Christmas Cookies

I love peppermint so the holiday season is perfect for my taste buds (not so much for my waistline). Seriously, peppermint mochas, peppermint milkshakes, candy cane Hershey kisses, and these delectable Peppermint Patty Christmas cookies that taste, well.. just like a peppermint patty. These cookies are really decadent and would be great at a cookie exchange, for a nice gift, or you know… on a plate while you are curled up with your favorite Christmas movie. I stumbled on this recipe a number of years ago from one of those grocery store holiday cooking magazines. The magazine has since been recycled, but not before I copied this recipe down. It has been a staple for our family festivities for over 10 years!

Peppermint Patty Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Peppermint Frosting:

• 2 1/2 cups confectionary sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the chocolate ganache:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Crushed candy cane pieces

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To make chocolate cookies:

• Beat sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, vanilla, egg, and unsweetened chocolate in large bowl with an electric mixer on a medium speed.
• Stir in flour and salt and mix until well blended.
• Drop teaspoon size balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper).
• Grease bottom of regular size drinking glass, dip greased bottom into sugar, and press each dough mound with the glass until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Bake cookies about 8 minutes. Cool 1 to 2 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make peppermint frosting, mix all the peppermint frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable.
• Spread the peppermint frosting over each cookie, leaving a 1/4″ ring of cookie on the outside.
• To make the ganache, melt the butter, corn syrup, and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Spoon ganache over each cookie on top of the peppermint frosting.
• Sprinkle crushed candy cane or peppermint candies on top of ganache.

This recipe will make about 36 cookies.

Yum, yum, yum! I cannot wait to make these again this year. Don’t they look delicious?

What Christmas cookies are your go-to favorites? Do you stick with the same cookies every year or do you try new recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy holiday baking!
Sara