Monday, August 24, 2009

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
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
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.

25 comments:

CottageGirl said...

HONESTLY, Llnda ... my mouth is literally watering! Those cookies look soooooo good! Who knew Andes made those chips! I'll be looking for them!

Again, your daughter is just a precious girl! Thanks for your lovely blog! Makes me drool and smile all at the same time!

Heart2Heart said...

You know, she just steals the whole show with the momarchy line! Just love it and I can bet the comment window went nuts on spell checking momarchy too???

Oh how I love Joy the Baker, because of this heavenly chocolately pepperminty goodness all rolled into one melting ball of yum!

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Yelena R. said...

Mmmmm melting chocolate.
Peppermint is actually one of my favorite flavors. It's really good in all kinds of sweets. Totally going to try this recipe as soon as I can get my hands on some peppermint extracts and those baking chips. Hmm, they would probably be best on a cold day with some hot chocolate :)

Dandy said...

Your commentary is more entertaining than you'll ever know! Those cookies look divine and I'm adding them to my Christmas baking this year.

Last year I did 16 different types. But I'll think I'll have to pair it down as its either 16 batches of cookies OR the wedding.

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

Everytime I come here, I end up heading for the kitchen...Your blog is going to make me gain weight! But don't stop all this delish work on my part!!!
J is the baker in our family; I'm the cook. So I will be showing him this, and waiting. Yum-o :)
Have a great day!
Misha

Dana said...

I am so hoping someone will invent smellavision! Looks YUMMY!

Amanda said...

The title sounded delicious and then I saw the peppermint pieces and I was in heaven! I can't wait to try this!

Buckeroomama said...

I enjoyed your commentary as much as I enjoyed reading through your recipe. :)

I'll have to see where I can get peppermint candies around here that I can use...

Meghan said...

I knew we soul-cousins as soon as I read of your love of all things peppermint. :) What a terrifically yummy cookie that I WILL be making as soon as I am feeling up to it! Thanks... and you crack me up. (I loved the line about being glad Grace's nails were clean for the pic. We are the same person with the same brain... pretty much.)

Flat Creek Farm said...

I swear, I must read your recipes and step-by-steps very carefully. I wouldn't want to miss one little piece of running commentary in there... you have such a gift! And besides, Bug is such a cute li'l helper too. I love those Andes baking chips. I used the creme de menthe chips last Christmas for cookies, & the peppermint. Love 'em both, and I will try your recipe! Yum! -Tammy

Sarsa said...

Those have got to be the yummiest cookies I have EVER seen. I think I may use this recipe for our annual Christmas party, but of course I will need to test it a few times before serving it to guests (wink wink).

Unknown said...

Please pass the Andes baking chips! Who would've thought?? Those look delicious!!! I am so wanting to go in the kitchen and whip up a batch right now!!! But, since I can't, I'll just make sure that I save it until I have all the ingredients.

Jana said...

what you do here, it's pure art. Your posts are truly hilarious and written so well...where do you get a vocabulary like that??

teamkyte said...

Oh MY! I have a peppermint issue...you should have seen me when I was pregnant with my 1st. Let's just say it was winter and Baskin Robbins had peppermint ice cream. Lord have mercy it was peppermint ice cream!!!! The girl knew me by name which I should not admit to but it is a fact, a very sad fact.

Debbie said...

Oh my word, as if I don't have enough to do today already! Now I have to bake these cookies too!!

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness ... these look amazingly good! That last picture with the gooey chocolate goodness just seeping out ... my mouth is seriously watering. :)

"surprise eating-utensil-switcheroo" ... I just love that. Your blog always makes me smile and giggle.

On another subject ... just wanted to let you know that I answered your questions about compost at Reduce Footprints. Was going to post it here, for you, but ... just doesn't seem right with these luscious cookies.

Thanks for sharing a slice of your life with us!

Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com

McVal said...

Ok I'm hungry... Your daughter is the next Julia Child! I love how she takes a break in the middle of a project to contemplate serious issues like clothing seasonal choices!

Yolanda said...

Causes me to reminesce of my own child-hood as far as my love to be in the kitchen.

I made Peanutbutter Brownies for our Women's Community Bible study last night off of the Betty Crocker web site, delicious!

Lovingly,
Yolanda
HIGHER GROUNDS

monica said...

My mouth is watering just looking at those cookies! How delicious! I will diffently be making these!!

Teresa @ ♥ Too Many Heartbeats ♥ said...

Those look absolutely divine, so I fully believe they MUST be on the menu in Heaven! However, in the unlikely event they are not, I am with you! We just have to eat as many as we can gobble up while we are still here on earth to enjoy them in all their goodness! *smile*

Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. My husband also makes awesome scrambled eggs, and just about everything else for that matter, so I shall give this recipe to him to try out! I can't wait!

I appreciate that you stopped by my blog today and left such a kind comment. I hope you will come by again really soon.

Have a wonderfully blessed evening!

Teresa <><

A link to the story of why I blog:

http://toomanyheartbeats.blogspot.com/2009/07/document.html

Lois Christensen said...

I have never seen those peppermint chips before! I must look for them and try this recipe because I LOVE PEPPERMINT AND CHOCOLATE. Great recipe, love the pictures of your daughter helping you and your son in the post below. My daughter, 16, refuses to wear a coat in the winter. Just a heavy sweatshirt. We use to struggle over this all the time until one day I noticed all the kids getting on the bus with her wore sweatshirts and it was 2 degrees outside. If she wants to freeze, let her, at least she'll have company. Enjoy!

Momma Chae said...

Oh No.... I'm at home, reading this, and don't have the ingredients to make it RIGHT NOW! :(

WhiteStone said...

Peppermint and Chocolate! Yummmm!

Relyn Lawson said...

Swooning now. Let me just say: DOUBLE YUM!

debra@dustjacket said...

Oh they looks so good. I thing Little miss gorgeous was hysterical looking closely at the chip! Love it.
xxx