Christmas is just around the corner, which means my to-do list is getting longer, and I am baking up a storm in the kitchen. This time of year is my favorite. I love the magic of Christmas. I love watching holiday movies in Christmas pajamas, decorating the tree, wrapping presents, and cooking in the kitchen with my mom. I have been watching the Christmas Cookie Challenge and all the holiday baking shows on the Food Network, and it inspired me to try some new recipes. I never saw anyone make a chocolate sugar cookie until a contestant on the Christmas Cookie Challenge made them. During this time of the year, my two favorite flavors are chocolate and peppermint, so I decided to make a soft-baked chocolate cookie with peppermint sprinkles on top.

This week, I would like to share my new holiday cookie recipe, triple chocolate peppermint cookies. They are moist and sweet and taste just like a peppermint patty or a peppermint mocha frappuccino, so if you love chocolate and peppermint, you will love this cookie recipe. The following recipe makes about twenty cookies, depending on the size you make.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies Inspired by Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
• ½ cup Nestle Toll House cocoa powder
• ½ cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp of kosher salt
• 2 sticks of salted butter, softened
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cup of cane sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp peppermint oil
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ Starbucks peppermint mocha brew coffee
• 16 oz. white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup finely crushed peppermint bits (I used three candy canes)

Instructions For Making The Cookie Batter

• Gather all of your ingredients and begin measuring out all of your dry ingredients.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together the butter, eggs, brown sugar, and cane sugar. Mix until well-combined. Then, add the vanilla extract. Mix until all the ingredients are together, and scrape the bowl’s sides if necessary to make sure everything has been incorporated.
• In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the coffee, heavy cream, and peppermint oil.
• Add the dry ingredients, ½ cup at a time, then stir the batter thoroughly until the flour mixture is all gone. While the flour is being incorporated, pour in the coffee and cream mixture while the mixer is at low speed.
• Chill the cookie dough for at least two hours, but overnight in the refrigerator is best.
• Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Using a cookie scooper, make a round cookie ball and place it on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cookies at least two inches apart because they will spread while baking.
• Bake cookies for ten to twelve minutes.
• While cookies are cooling, use a chocolate fondue warmer or a microwave-safe bowl to melt the white chocolate chips. Add two teaspoons of coconut oil with the chocolate. If using the microwave, melt chocolate in thirty-second intervals to prevent burning the chocolate. Stir after each time.
• Once cookies are cool, spread the white chocolate on one side of the cookie using an off-set spatula or spoon.
• Place candy canes inside a storage bag or foil and use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the candy canes finely.
• Sprinkle peppermint bites onto the white chocolate. Let the chocolate firm up by placing the cookies back on the parchment paper.
• Let cookies dry for an hour or two before eating them.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I had fun making it. I love taking recipes from one of my favorite bloggers or food network stars and giving them my own magical twist. Get yourself ready for TV time with the family. Put on your cozy pajamas, grab a cookie or two, and a cup of hot cocoa. Sit in your favorite chair or place on the sofa and put on a holiday movie. Enjoy your cookies, and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your family.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Do you need a Christmas sugar cookie recipe? Check out my vanilla-almond sugar cookie recipe in my baking article, “Cookies For The Holidays.”