Double Chocolate Double Peppermint Cookies

There's one thing I know for certain:

There is a heaven.

There's one thing I don't know for certain:

Whether or not these cookies will be there when I get there.

There's one thing we should do just in case they're not:

Make tons of them in the time we have left

in our earthly bodies and eat them daily.

I am impatiently awaiting winter and all it's cozy luxuries.

One such luxury? Peppermint everything.

In anticipation of the upcoming peppermint overhaul

of my winter life, I decided I needed a sneak peak and

went in search of a recipe containing this herb

that is so crucial to my happiness and well-being.

I found something even more luxurious than I had set out to find:

A recipe combining chocolate and peppermint.

I do everything really fast.

I change diapers fast, I make meals fast, I do laundry fast.

And you're thinking, 'well, yeah, when you've got twins,

you have no business not being fast'.

But that's not it. Here's why I do everything fast:

There are 1440 minutes in one day.

I spend 1,339 of them perusing blogs

and 1 of them taking care of household duties.

So I better be fast, eh?

Anyhow, during a recent blogosphere perusal,

I found Joy the Baker.

Recipes galore, deliciousness guaranteed.

I had a peppermint fever, and I had thought the only

prescription was more cow bell, but no!

It was Joy the Baker and her recipe for

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.

And since my peppermint fever was running really high,

and since I often like to self-diagnose and make up

my own treatment, I added another boost

of peppermintiness to this recipe.

You will see dear readers. You will see.

See you will.

Let's get this dog and pony show started.

1 1/4 C flour

3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder. (I have to stop here. I've been trying not to say anything but I can hold this in no longer. My husband just brought me a plate of creamy, salty, scrambled eggs with a smattering of shredded mozzarella melting on top. That's right, a smattering. And they are the best thing I have ever tasted and I am about to weep over their fluffiness. I just had to share that with you and hope that you'll all join me when I call out "Hooray for husbands with scrambled egg aptitude!")

How now, brown cow? Oh yes, cocoa powder. A good 3/4 cup of it. 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp baking soda

Whisk that together and we'll take

it with us over to the stand mixer.

Right now Bug is pondering a matter of deep consequence:

"If I wear winter clothes all summer,

should I wear only summer clothes this winter?"

"I must dwell on this matter and reflect fully on

the weight of my decision."

"For to wear summer clothes this winter might

mean I spend a great deal of the season with goosebumps.

But to continue wearing winter clothes into winter might

dethrone me from my position of independent quirkiness.

And what then? How will I have any power

in this house that wears a deceitful cloak of democracy

but is a mother-dictatorship to it's core?"

And now a small but triumphant smile spreads across her face

as the perfect plan of action begins to take hold

in the small yet brilliantly shrewd brain residing

just underneath all that cuteness.

"Yes...yeeees, that's it! I've stumbled upon the perfect coup d'etat!

I will wear winter clothes this winter--I'd be a fool not to.

BUT, I will use only a fork for all things spoon-worthy and

only a spoon for all things fork-worthy!

The mother monarch will never see it coming!

'Why Grace, you're eating applesauce with a fork?!'

mom will shout, flummoxed to the core of her being.

And I will stand victorious!

I will not be conformed to her conformist ways!" She giggles in mischievous delight,

her beautiful plan already set in motion.

All plans to topple the momarchy with a

surprise eating-utensil-switcheroo aside,

we still need to cream some butter here.

2 sticks of it.

Then add 2/3 cup brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar.

You know the drill-pop that arm down, lock & load it.

Paddle attachment for a minute or so.

Now for the nectar of the gods. Wait, did I say

balsamic vinegar was the nectar of the gods?

Hmm. Well then this must be the tonic of the gods:

We add 1 teaspoon of it to the mix.

Then add 2 eggs, one at a time and beat for

a minute after each egg is added.

Peppermint extract smells groovy.

Remember the dry ingredient mix?

Add 1/3 of that, mixing only until blended.

Then repeat that with another 1/3.

Then one last time with all of the remaining dry ingredients.

Now on to the pepperminty surprise that makes

my heart go pitter patter.

That's right mama.

Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips!

Bring your crunchy minty goodness my way.

1 whole grand cup of crunchy minty goodness!

And while we're at it, lets get to the "double chocolate" in

Double Chocolate Double Peppermint Cookies.

Add in 1 cup of semi sweet baking chips.

"Oh what do we have heeeeeeere?" said the little girl.

"I spy with my little eye a wee spot of chocolate."

"Would you like to see it?

Would you kindly ask my mom if I can eat it?"

Ignore that poor child. She's a victim of

peppermint chip goodness and has long since

left any good sense behind. And who can blame her.

I barely have my faculties about myself either.

I'm just happy her fingernails were clean for that picture.

Mix those two divine cups of chips in by hand.

Resist urge to hork raw cookie dough.

Give in to urges furtively.

I won't tell.

Drop by tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets.

Although they be helplessly cute little mounds,

me thinks you should resist urge to hork once more.

Or, what the hay, pop one down the hatch.

This earthly life is but a blink.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Before looking at the next photo, please

join me in shouting "Hurray for Joy the Baker!"

Let's just come in a little tighter on that photo so you can fully

immerse yourself in that melting chip.