Peppermint Mocha Cookies

It seems med school is determined to prevent me from posting about pie during the appropriate time for pie (i.e. Thanksgiving!). Last year, I was finishing up 2 months straight of weekly exams and this year, as fate would have it, there was yet another exam standing in my way of sharing my pies. Oh well, there's always next year...or maybe not. I don't envision third year being any more benevolent in the time department.

Fortunately, I've taken some prophylactic measures to prevent the same thing from happening at Christmas--mainly, I decided to ignore my imminent exam, turn on Michael Buble's new Christmas album, and bake some dang cookies!

How cute are all those dogs in sweaters?

Of course, I could do little else once I saw this recipe from Sunny Side Up in San Diego. Since I will be on my honeymoon (at last!) over the Christmas holiday, I have been a bit extra eager to get in some holiday baking before I leave so I fear those tyrants, Pathology and Pharmacology, will just have to wait their turn!

Preheat the oven to 350 and get your baking sheets ready. I used parchment paper because the dough seems especially sticky, but a silpat or nothing would do as well. I was feeling extra fancy when I baked these so I actually bothered to sift together the flour, instant coffee crystals and baking powder. Apparently I was feeling extra spontaneous.

Once the dry ingredients are prepared in a medium to large bowl, set it aside. Get 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or whatever form of chocolate you happen to have on hand) and place in a glass or otherwise microwave safe bowl. While I was feeling fancy enough for proper sifting and parchment paper, the feeling did not extend to fancy chocolate-melting apparatus aka a double boiler. Pop the bowl in the microwave for a minute on high. Stir then proceed to microwave on high at 20 second intervals, stirring in between. I think it took me a total of 2 minutes to melt my fresh-from-the-freezer chocolate chips. Next, I did something rather brave. I proceeded to mix in the brown sugar, eggs, butter and peppermint extract into the chocolate in that same small bowl! It was a close call, let me tell you, and not without the occasionally chocolate-covered finger casualty.

Add the chocolate mix to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add in another 1/2 cup of chocolate chips then scoop out dough onto the cookie sheet. Don't worry if the dough looks a bit wet and gloopy, it will turn out wonderful, chewy, chocolatey cookies. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the tops no longer look wet.

Make sure you have milk on hand, trust me.

 

Peppermint Mocha Cookies
 Oven: 350  Makes 28-30 cookies
Recipe from Sunny Side Up in San Diego

Ingredients

• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips or other form of chocolate
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. or 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 c + 2 1/2 tbsp flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp instant coffee crystals or espresso powder if you have it 
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt (leave out if using salted butter)
• 1/2 c chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a baking sheet as desired.
2. Sift together flour, espresso powder/coffee crystals, baking powder and salt. Set aside
3. In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave. Start with 1 minute on high power. Stir then heat for 20 second intervals on high, stirring in between. Should take an additional minute (total) or so to melt. 
4. To the melted chocolate, blend/stir in the butter, brown sugar and eggs (hence the medium-sized bowl). Once combined, stir in the peppermint extract. 
5. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Use a cookie scoop (it's your best friend with these cookies!) or a spoon, place dough on cookie sheet. Keep in mind, the cookies will spread out a bit as they cook so leave space for that.
7. Bake 12-13 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. While cooling, decorate with crushed candy canes, sprinkles or whatever else you feel like. Transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
8. Grab a glass of milk and share with your family and friends!

 Husband-unit approved!

Pin It