Two Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipes: Bring on the Bark

So keeping with the Chocolate and Peppermint theme, I came across a fabulous recipe in the latest hardcopy issue of Sunset Magazine (and available online). This recipe uses their Chocolate Decadence Cookie recipe that you follow through step 1. Continue with step 2, using your palm to press dough balls into 1/4-in.-thick rounds. Bake as directed and let cool.

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies

In a bowl, mix 3 cups powdered sugar, 4 tbsp. milk, and 3/4 tsp. peppermint extract.
Spread 1 heaping tsp. peppermint icing onto the flat side of 1 cookie.
Top with flat side of a second cookie to form a sandwich, pressing together to squeeze filling to the edge. Roll edge of cookie in crushed and sifted candy canes.

I also found an amazing recipe for Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe posted by Garrett McCord on Simply Recipes. For this recipe, you can purchase peppermint bark or make your own.

1 cup of butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup of peppermint bark, broken into little chip size pieces

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Cream the butter and sugars together for about two minutes at medium speed or until well incorporated and light in color.
3 Add the egg and the vanilla extract until well incorporated, about a minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through.
4 Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture slowly, and beating at medium speed, stopping once all of it is incorporated (do not overmix).
5 Fold in the peppermint bark chips.
6 Take small spoonfuls of the dough and roll into one inch sized balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for -12 minutes. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Photo: Leigh Beisch; food styling by Dan Becker