White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Just like every tweens' order during the holidays at Starbucks, this cookie has a little bit of everything.  Couple pumps of peppermint mocha in the espresso, a bit of white chocolate, and a pretty garnish - this cookie is all those things and more! Aaron is saying these are his new favorite Christmas cookie - they are a little sweet, but not too much, soft but with a sugary crust, pretty but not too time-consuming to decorate.  These cookies come together easily and make a festive impression!

White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

For the Cookies:

  • 12 tbs. butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tbs. molasses
  • 1 tbs. instant espresso (or coffee) powder/granules
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
  • 1/2 dark brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract (this stuff is strong, so a little goes a long way, but if you really love peppermint, go for it - do not use Mint extract or it will taste like toothpaste, make sure its Peppermint)
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt

For the drizzle:

  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 2-3 tbs. vegetable shortening
  • 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract (optional)
  • Crushed peppermint candies/candy canes, for garnish (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375° and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Set aside.

Melt 4 tbs. of the butter in a small bowl.  Whisk in the cocoa, molasses, and espresso.  Mix until smooth and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the other 8 tbs (1 stick) of butter with the sugars. Beat until light and fluffy.  One at a time, beating after each addition, add the chocolate mixture, egg, and extracts.  Mix well and scrape the bowl.

Slowly mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.

Roll one tablespoon of dough into a ball and then roll in granulated sugar.  Place it on the cookie sheet and pat the top just slightly to flatten it.  Repeat with remaining dough, placing each cookie an inch and a half apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the tops crack and the middles are set.  Do not over bake! If you like a soft cookie make sure you take them out just as they are cooked, the long they are in the crunchier they will be.

Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack, placed over paper towels.

While the cookies are baking, prepare the drizzle.  In 5 - 10 second increments, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and shortening. It will burn VERY easily so seriously, go ten seconds or less at a time and stir it super well between heating. Once it is melted, stir in the peppermint extract. Using a spoon, lift some of the chocolate out of the bowl and drizzle it back in.  If it is too think, melt more shortening into it, in five second intervals, until it is thin enough to drizzle well.

Once the cookies are cooled to the touch, drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies and then sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top. Let the drizzle set at room temperature until no longer soft.  Store cookies at room temp, in a sealed container.

Grinch Cookies

There are a few things that just scream "Christmas" to me from my childhood - and without a doubt How the Grinch Stole Christmas is on that list.  I read the book as a kid, I watched the movie laying on my Noni's floor in her den at Christmastime, and I could probably recite the whole thing to you now if I tried.  I love to pass on these memories I have a kid, to my own kids, so Townes and I have watched The Grinch more than a couple of times already since Thanksgiving and the book is in our bedtime rotation.  So when he asked me to bake something today - these seemed like the perfect idea.

Aside from being festive, fun and creative, they are also really, really easy to make and don't require much skill or many ingredients!  They are a version of my shortbread cookies (a recipe from my Noni) that I used on Valentine's Day last year - these are almond flavored instead and obviously these are green!

Grinch Cookies

Makes 2 dozen (depending on cookie size)

For the Cookies:

  • 1 cup butter, softened to room temp (very important)
  • 3/4 cup sugar (I used granulated, but powdered is okay too)
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • Green food dye (or yellow and blue)
  • 1-3 tbs. shortening
  • Powdered sugar, for rolling
  • Red decorators icing

Preheat your oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar.  Really beat it until its super smooth and creamy - its basically the whole cookie.  Beat in the vanilla and almond.  Add the flour a half cup at a time and beat until combined after each addition.  If the dough is too crumbly (it will need to hold together like playdough when squeezed in your hands, but should NOT be sticky) add 1 tbs. of shortening at a time.  After each addition make sure you have given it a solid few minutes to beat in and see if its come together enough.

Once the dough is the right consistency, beat in the food dye.  Once the dough is your desired shade of green, scoop out a small tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball with your hands.  Roll in powdered sugar, then place the ball on your cookie sheet and flatten with your hand to about 1/2 inch or thinner. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, until the edges are JUST starting to brown (the time will vary depending on the thickness of your dough and the size of your cookie so just watch carefully).  Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, apply the hearts. I used a "leaf" tip on my tube of red frosting and made the heart in two halves.  You can also just use a small round piping tip and draw a heart with the icing.