DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES

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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES
These DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES are really good, and they’re so pretty to make, you will love these.  They’re really chocolaty, and then you get the sweet smooth frosting, and the cool crunchy peppermint, and they just hit the spot.  They would be very pretty on a Holiday buffet table, or a platter of cookies to serve.  No matter how you present them, they’re sure to put smiles on faces.  Make sure to keep this one in your favorites.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

FOR THE COOKIES:

• 
  2 1/4 cups of Flour
• 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup of Cocoa
• 2 sticks of Butter – softened
• 1/4 cup of Milk Chocolate – melted
  1 cup of Sugar
• 1/2 cup of Brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup of White Chocolate Chunks

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 4 Tablespoons of Butter – softened
• 4 Ounces of Cream Cheese – softened
• 1 drop of Peppermint extract
• 4 Cups – plus 1 Tablespoon of Powdered Sugar
• Red Food Coloring Gel
• Candy Canes to crush and sprinkle on top

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with Parchment Paper and set aside.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the Butter, melted Milk Chocolate, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, and Eggs, and blend at low speed until all ingredients are mixed. Turn mixer on Medium and continue to blend until all ingredients are well mixed.  In a separate bowl, add the Flour, Baking Powder, and Cocoa, and mix well.  Add to the mixing bowl and mix until completely blended.  Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and blend again.  Remove from mixer, and fold in the White Chocolate Chunks. 

Scoop cookie dough with a small cookie scoop onto the lined cookie sheets, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are browned around the edges.  Remove from oven to a wire rack to cool. 

While cookies are cooling, make the Frosting:

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened Butter, and softened Cream Cheese until light and fluffy.  Add the drop of Peppermint extract, and blend.  Add the Powdered Sugar to the mixer, 1 cup at a time, blending between additions, until the Frosting is smooth, thick, and creamy. 

 Divide the Frosting evenly into two separate bowls. In one bowl, add the Red Food Coloring Gel a few drops at a time, and stir to blend, until desired color is achieved.   Leave the other bowl white.
Using Plastic wrap (Glad wrap) tear off a piece about 10 inches wide, and place the Frosting length-wise in the middle of the plastic wrap; it will look like two long ribbons of Frosting.   Then, roll the plastic wrap around the Frosting, making sure to keep it long, or length-wise like a long ribbon.  SEE PHOTO –  Snip the end off of the Plastic wrap, on one end only, and place it in a Pastry bag with the large Star Tip.  Pipe the Frosting onto the center of the Cookies, using a swirl, and bring it up to a point.  Crush Peppermint Candy Canes, and sprinkle on top of the Frosting and Cookies.  Serve, and Enjoy!
Makes approximately 24 cookies

NOTE:  You can by White Chocolate chunks, or pieces, or you can chop White Chocolate and make your own.