Cookie exchanges are a staple at every holiday office party, including the offices of Chow Bella. But the contributors to this blog are a cutthroat bunch, and with an inordinate amount of trash talk thrown about, our cookie exchange quickly became a cookie showdown. Check back here each day through next week to get recipes you can use and find out who'll take home the Cookie Crown.
Today's contender: Cyndi Coon's Chocolate Chip Peppermint Sandwich Cookies.
For this Chow Bella Challenge I made chocolate chip cookies with red food coloring with peppermint butter cream frosting sandwiched in the middle. Kind of low brow with the food coloring and all but seriously tasty - hey visual isn't always everything.
Learn how to make Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies after the jump.
Red Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c butter (softened)
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tspn vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn salt
1 (12-ounce) package or 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Several drops of red food coloring
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a bowl cmix together butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Little by little add flour mixture to butter mixture
4. Stir in red food coloring
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Drop small teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes.
7. Cool before removing from the baking sheet
For Butter crème icing
Ingredients:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup crisco
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
1. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together Crisco and butter.
2. Slowly add in sugar.
3. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium.
4. Add peppermint and milk, continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.
Sandwich the butter crème in between two cookies. Serve.