Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: A Festive Holiday Treat

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 0.75 cup brown sugar
• 0.75 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (10 ounce) package creme de menthe baking chips (such as Andes®)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, or more to taste

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, blend until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Incorporate the eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, mixing for 1 minute and scraping the bowl's sides as needed. Gradually mix in the flour and baking soda. By hand, thoroughly fold in the creme de menthe chips and pecans.
2. Refrigerate the cookie dough for a cooling period of 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
4. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the cookie edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While the cookies cool, melt the dark chocolate for the drizzle in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate is completely melted, about 5 minutes. Stir in peppermint extract until well combined.
7. Snip a tiny piece off one corner of a zip-top bag. Pour in the melted dark chocolate mixture. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let the chocolate set completely.

Nutrition

• Calories: 115 kcal
• Fat Content: 7 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sugar Content: 8 g
• Sodium Content: 25 mg
• Protein Content: 1 g
• Cholesterol Content: 15 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 13 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g