If you’re tired of the same old chocolate chip, sugar, and gingerbread cookies that show up every Christmas, how about something new? These Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies are soft and chewy, and the marshmallow on top adds a warmth that makes you feel like you’re snuggled up by a campfire with a mug of hot chocolate. Best selling author Sarah Fennel turned to her oven to capture the sweet, comforting flavors of hot chocolate — but with a holiday twist. She cautions, though, that the cookies should be slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven, because they will continue to bake and firm up as they cool.
Ingredients:
- • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- • 1 large egg, at room temperature
- • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- • ¾ tsp. peppermint extract
- • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- • ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- • ½ tsp. baking soda
- • ½ tsp. table salt
- • 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- • 12 jumbo marshmallows
- • Crushed candy canes
Directions:
- • Preheat oven to 350°.
- • Position racks in upper and lower third of oven.
- • Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- • Beat together brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
- • Add egg, vanilla and peppermint extract; beat on medium-high speed until light and pale in color, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
- • Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute.
- • Portion dough into 12 equal mounds (about 3 tablespoons).
- • Roll dough into balls using lightly greased hands; divide evenly between baking sheets, spacing balls at least 2 inches apart.
- • Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes, until cookies have puffed and are set around edges but still somewhat soft in centers.
- • Remove from oven; cool slightly on baking sheets, about 15 minutes.
- • Once cookies have cooled slightly, increase oven temperature to broil with rack about 7 inches from heat source.
- • Microwave chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is fully melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
- • Spoon and spread about 2 teaspoons melted chocolate over each cookie, leaving a ½-inch border around outside edges.
- • Squish marshmallows flat between your palms; place one marshmallow on top of chocolate on each cookie.
- • Broil, 1 baking sheet at a time, on middle rack of oven until marshmallows are golden brown and melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
- • Remove from oven; gently squish marshmallows further, if desired, and sprinkle cookies evenly with crushed candy canes.
- • Cool slightly before serving.
Yield: 1 dozen
