peppermint bark chocolate chunk cookies
Who doesn’t love peppermint bark this time of year? Did I hear a boo in the crowd…Alright, you’re ejected. No cookies for you.
We finally got our tree on Monday! It’s such a fatass, my favorite, and as I’m camped at its base writing this post I smell the pine sap on its branches. I’m ever grateful that I never developed a Christmas tree allergy. I find such an ailment quite depressing.
Getting the tree is quintessential holiday for me: never mind gifting or snow (I live in Florida, who am I kidding about snow), it’s the tree and a constantly hot oven that ushers in the spirit of December.
We’ve yet to decorate the fixture, but our variety of both traditional and unique wares will end up on the Fraser pines soon. J owns a set of Star Wars figurines we always set near the crest of the tree, and an aggressively oversized lighted star for the top. Our lights are colored and always involve a squished dance between tree and balcony window as I wind the strands around and around.
Do you seek a specific type of tree? We buy Fraser fir since I find them the most aromatic.
Of course, tree decorating should go hand-in-hand with cookie baking. Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the sweetest holiday flirt with the oven: dark and white chocolate folded with chopped peppermint bark and minted further with specks of crushed peppermint candies. Soft, chewy, a chocoholic’s necessity.
Barking Up the Right Tree
The key to this barky batter? Peppermint extract. You must be careful when incorporating peppermint extract since your cookies will quickly morph from festive to dentist’s office if you use too much. This, plus a healthy dose of peppermint bark, earns the cookie’s reputation as a peppermint bark cookie. What a concept.
The rest of the dough is your typical, delicious combination of butter, brown and white sugars, vanilla, eggs, flour, and salt. White chocolate and dark chocolate wiggle their way in with the peppermint bark.
Minty Fresh
Roll out the dough into balls and set on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and tap on the counter two or three times to flatten the tops.
Here, I sprinkle on a few more white chocolate chips and some finely crushed candy canes. For the latter, I simply added a handful of mini candy canes to a ziptop bag, sealed it with all of the air drawn out, and lightly smack the candies with a rolling pin until they reduce to small shards.
Once you’ve spiffed up the tops, set the pan back in the oven for 3-4 minutes longer until the edges are set. Let cool on the baking sheet, then dive the hell in.
Move over, biscotti. This is coffee’s favorite cookie. In fact, if you’re gifting a batch within a cookie box, include a few sample bags of your favorite brew and encourage the recipient to churn up a cuppa and enjoy with a sweet offering. Hell, why not add a Dulce de Leche Stuffed Mexican Dark Chocolate Cookie to the plate?
These cookie are for serious chocolate lovers. If you’re not serious, these will make you so.
By the way – who amongst you fools is a dunker? Meaning, you dip cookies in milk or coffee or whatever liquid accompaniment you choose? Please don’t say water, I’ll hurl. I love dipping my cookies, and donuts for that matter.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup peppermint bark, roughly chopped
- crushed peppermint candies, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the egg yolk, until each are fully incorporated. Whip in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in two batches to the wet ingredients, mixing each until just combined. Fold in the dark and white chocolate chunks, and the peppermint bark.
- Scoop 1 1/2-2 tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches in between each. Bake for 8 minutes, then tap the baking sheet on the counter to flatten the tops. Sprinkle with additional white chocolate and crushed candy cane bits. Bake an additional 3-4 minutes until the edges are set but the centers are still doughy.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet. Serve warm, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
