Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Mint chocolate is one of my favorite combinations EVER. Like mint chocolate chip ice cream? Best flavor out there, as long as it's the green one. Everyone knows that the white mint chocolate chip ice cream isn't nearly as good. The peppermint Luna bar? The most delicious one. Thin Mints? Those Girl Scouts know what they're doing (though I think Samoas are my favorite but shhhhh). And while writing this post, I have so many delicious recipe ideas circling in my head. Yum.

When I saw peppermint extract for sale in Trader Joe's around the holidays, I pounced on that like a ninja. There was no hesitation. I usually spend like 45 minutes wandering through Trader Joe's, debating on if I need this or that grocery, but that extract was in my basket before I had a chance to even say no to myself. I didn't have any exact recipe in mind for it, but I knew it would get used. Like when I made these delicious marshmallows a few weeks ago. I still have a bunch left and might coat them with chocolate and make little treats out of them.. That sounds pretty ideal right about now. Midnight snack anyone?

So, one day I was craving thin and chewy chocolate cookies (because let's be honest, I am always craving cookies), and I thought to myself, that if I added peppermint extract and then crushed candy canes on top (yes, I still have candy canes left over from Christmas) it would be a cookiegasm in my mouth. And oh boy was it. These cookies literally taste like winter in a cookie. Chocolate with just enough peppermint to give it that delicious, yet sort of subtle, mint chocolate flavor without overpowering it and turning the cookie into a chocolate flavored breath mint. Of the 2 1/2 dozen, I ate about 6 cookies myself, brought some to a few friends, and then I brought the rest to a Frozen themed party where one of the guys there, who told me he doesn't like cookies, ate half a cookie. That's how good these bad boys were. Ryan even ate the last two 2 days later and said they were still delicious.

It's been "chilly" at night here in Los Angeles, but for those of you where it's actually cold, I recommend whipping up a batch of these cookies. They will warm your soul, especially when they're fresh out of the oven. And besides, I can't be the only one out there that loves mint chocolate anything. If you don't, then well... I guess we can still be friends.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 candy cane, crushed

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract, mixing until creamy and fluffy. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch and salt. Mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with a silpat baking mat or parchment paper.

Roll cookie dough into golf sized pieces, flatten slightly, and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will still be puffed up but will flatten and cook a little more after you take them out of the oven. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

[source: adapted from How Sweet It Is]