Bready or Not: White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies
If you want a treat that is decadent, gorgeous, and loaded with peppermint, bake this up.
But once you put the peppermint bits on, eat them within a few hours. That’s right, this recipe has the same issue as the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks a few weeks ago.
See that picture above? That’s what the peppermint does, melting to look like stained glass. It’s a purely cosmetic issue; the bars still taste fine and the peppermint even retains a slight crunch.
The solution to this is pretty easy, though. Add the peppermint bits right before serving, or just omit them. Or be prepared to eat them with oozy peppermint on top, as they’ll still taste fine!
With that disclaimer done, I can say these things taste absolutely delicious. I mean, hello, blondies topped with cream cheese frosting! These are practically a cake.
Modified from County Living, December 2015.
Bready or Not: White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies
Ingredients
blondies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
- 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cup white chocolate chips 1 bag
frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese 2 boxes
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup peppermints crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Apply nonstick spray or butter to an aluminum foil-lined 9x13 baking pan.
- Beat together butter, both sugars, eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and peppermint extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir the dry mix into the butter mix. Add the chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake until golden brown and the middle passes the toothpick test, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack until room temperature, or place in fridge to chill.
- When the blondie base is no longer hot, beat together the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until they are light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Spread frosting over blondies. Freeze for 30 minutes or chill in fridge for several hours to set.
- Add crushed peppermints just before serving. NOTE: after a few hours, the peppermints will melt, regardless of the temperature of the bars. It looks weird, but tastes the same, even retaining a slight crunch. Other than that, the bars keep fine in the fridge for at least 5 days.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Do you love those peppermint meltaway candies that dissolve in your mouth with such refreshing flavor? Imagine that, in cookie form. Yes. Really.
This recipe essentially makes very lightly-textured shortbread cookies. That texture arises from the use of confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. These are like cookie clouds.
Then you top those small cookies with a smear of frosting and some crushed peppermint bits. The combo… yeah. These are called meltaways, and that’s exactly what they do.
Plus, these things literally LOOK like the holiday season. Like snow and peppermints.
If you’re searching for a recipe to wow everyone in a cookie exchange, these are your cookies, and they don’t even taste or act like cookies. They’ll blow your mind. Blow the minds of everyone there.
Modified from Taste of Home, November 2015.
Bready or Not: Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
cookie dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
frosting
- 2 Tb unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tb milk or half & half
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup peppermint candies crushed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, then add peppermint extract. Gradually beat in the flour and cornstarch.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is firm enough to work with.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Using a teaspoon scoop, dole out dough onto a cookie sheet. Use a spatula or the bottom of a glass to lightly compress the cookies, as they may not spread much while baking.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until set. Let cool on sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a rack to finish cooling.
- When the cookies are room temperature, prepare the frosting. Mash the two tablespoons butter until creamy; add the milk and peppermint extract. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Add more sugar or milk, if necessary, to reach a thick yet spreadable consistency.
- Use the back of a spoon to frost the cookies then sprinkle with peppermint candies. Store in an airtight container with waxed paper or parchment between layers. Makes about 25 teaspoon-sized cookies.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Peppermint Oreo Truffle Brownies
If you’ve ever had Oreo Truffles–those luscious bon-bons of pulverized Oreo encased in chocolate–you’ll love my original take, which is a heck of a lot easier and prettier, too.
The original Oreo Truffles always irritate me because I can never get a nice, smooth chocolate covering on the balls. You’ll see what I mean next month when I feature a different take on such truffles.
Therefore, I removed the balls from the equation. This recipe has a brownie base, topped with an Oreo-cream cheese mix, then topped with a ganache. Oreo crumbs and peppermint bits give it a showy finish.
No dipping balls in chocolate for an hour. No mess everywhere. This recipe is easy-peasy.
Plus, the cut-up bars will keep for as long as a week if they are sealed in the fridge. That makes them convenient to make-ahead for holiday gatherings… and lets you finish them off at your leisure afterward.
You can use a number of different kinds of Oreos here, too. Mint Oreos are great, but regular Oreos are fine if you add some extra peppermint extract. You can use all-chocolate kinds of Oreos–even the new Thin Oreo version–but I don’t advise using Double Stuf. You do want a lot of cookie crumbs.
Bready or Not Original: Peppermint Oreo Truffle Brownies
Ingredients
brownie base
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 2 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa sifted
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder optional but awesome
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
Oreo layer
- 1 package Cool Mint Oreos* or Peppermint Oreos
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 block, softened
topping
- 10 - 12 ounces chocolate chips mint, semi-sweet, dark, or milk; add more peppermint extract if desired
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray or butter well.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, followed by the two extracts, salt, cocoa, and flour. Don't overbeat.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes. Cool completely.
- While the brownies are cooling, make the Oreo truffle layer. Crush Oreos in a food processor or by putting them in a sealed gallon bag and smashing them with a rolling pin until rendered to crumbs.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of Oreo crumbs for topping. Place the rest of the crumbs in a large bowl, and use a big spoon to mash the Oreos into the softened cream cheese until the color is consistently black.
- Smooth the Oreo-cream cheese mix atop the cooled brownies, using an offset spatula to get right to the edges.
- To finish off the truffles, melt the chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave, and pour it over the Oreo layer. Smooth it out evenly. Immediately top with the reserved Oreo crumbs and peppermint bits.
- Refrigerate until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. If it's too soft, and it will smear when cut; too hard, and it will crack. Use the foil to lift the brownies onto a cutting board, then slice into bars.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge, with waxed paper between the stacked layers. Keeps for at least a week.
- OM NOM NOM!
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Bready or Not: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks
Imagine chocolate chip-flecked shortbread sticks adorned with a thin sheen of frosting with dazzling gems of peppermint.
If you love peppermint and chocolate, these cookie sticks will bring you bliss. But do heed a rather important warning.
If the peppermint bits sit in the frosting for more than a day or so, they’ll actually melt. Seriously. It’s some kind of chemical reaction. Puddles of red goop everywhere.
But here’s the thing: the sticks still taste fine if that happens! They just look like they stared at the Arc of the Covenant.
So make a big ol’ jelly roll pan of these, and hold off on adding the peppermints adornments until soon before serving. Or put them on, and use it as a kind of science experiment.
A very delicious experiment. Did I mention these were like shortbread sticks loaded with chocolate chips and slathered with frosting? Oh yeah. These are good.
Modified from Crazy for Crust at Challenge Dairy.
Bready or Not: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks
Ingredients
Cookie Sticks
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 - 4 Tablespoons milk or cream or half & half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup candy canes crushed; or peppermints
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (10x15-inches) with foil and apply nonstick cooking spray all over the surface.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg and both extracts, followed by the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add flour until just incorporated, then the chocolate chips.
- Use your hands to press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until it's just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cream butter until smooth. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until it starts to become crumbly, then add the salt and vanilla extract. Stir in 2 tablespoons of milk, then add more until it is spreadable consistency.
- Use the foil to lift the cookie slab onto a cutting board. Use an uneven spatula to frost the full surface. Let the frosting set for a short while. Slice cookies into sticks.
- DO NOT sprinkle crushed peppermints on until soon before serving--the candies will actually dissolve into the frosting after a day or so, which looks bad though they still taste fine.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks
Ingredients
Cookie Sticks
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 - 4 Tablespoons milk or cream or half & half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup candy canes crushed; or peppermints
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (10x15-inches) with foil and apply nonstick cooking spray all over the surface.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg and both extracts, followed by the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add flour until just incorporated, then the chocolate chips.
- Use your hands to press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until it's just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cream butter until smooth. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until it starts to become crumbly, then add the salt and vanilla extract. Stir in 2 tablespoons of milk, then add more until it is spreadable consistency.
- Use the foil to lift the cookie slab onto a cutting board. Use an uneven spatula to frost the full surface. Let the frosting set for a short while. Slice cookies into sticks.
- DO NOT sprinkle crushed peppermints on until soon before serving--the candies will actually dissolve into the frosting after a day or so, which looks bad though they still taste fine.
- OM NOM NOM!
The Beth Cato Kitchen Gift Guide
‘Tis the season to buy stuff. Permit me to help. Since you’re here, you probably know I have a lot of books out, including my brand new collection Red Dust and Dancing Horses and the 2nd book in my Blood of Earth trilogy, Call of Fire.
I also have a new cookbook, an Amazon exclusive for just $1.99: Sweet Maple!
I mention a lot of cooking ingredients and implements on Bready or Not. Today, I’m recommending my favorite stuff. Note that all of the links in the photographs are Amazon-affiliated, but this is all stuff I’ve bought with my own money. No corporate freebies involved (but if any corporation wants to reach out *coughs and points to Contact Me link above*).
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Bready or Not: Peppermint Biscotti
In recent months, I have shared recipes for Snickerdoodle Biscotti and Maple Walnut White Chocolate Biscotti. Now we’re gearing up for the holidays with Peppermint Biscotti.
I found this recipe in a Food Network Magazine from December 2015. I made it following their instructions, wasn’t pleased with the results, and made it again with numerous changes. This one worked.
I love how white chocolate chips work in biscotti. Since they bake up to be extra crispy, the chips add just the right touch of sweetness to complement the crunchiness.
The topping is what makes these scream “Holiday season!” I love the goopy drizzles atop these sticks, with generous amounts of crushed peppermints on top.
As these are biscotti, they keep well for days and weeks. If you’re mailing these, of course, be wary of the temperatures the package may encounter in transit. That’s something I always must consider here in Arizona!
Eat these biscotti on their own, or totally bliss-out and dip them in coffee or tea.
Bready or Not: Peppermint Biscotti
Ingredients
biscotti
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
topping
- 4 oz white chocolate
- drizzle oil if needed
- 2 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In medium bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a big bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and peppermint extract. Slowly stir in the dry mix until just incorporated, then add the white chocolate chips.
- Divide the dough in half on the prepared baking sheet. Form each into a log about 4 inches wide and 10 inches long; make sure there is space between the two logs, as they'll grow in the oven.
- Bake about 25 minutes, until the biscotti is lightly browned. Remove the baking sheet, but be sure to leave the oven on.
- Let the biscotti cool for 10 minutes. Use a large knife, such as a bread knife, to diagonally slice the logs 1/2-inch apart. Use a straight-down motion to cut; don't saw.
- Arrange the biscotti spaced out on the baking sheet. Stand them up if possible, or lay them on their sides. Bake for another 25 minutes, flipping them over halfway if necessary, to equally crisp both sides.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet. Crush the candy canes.
- Melt the white chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave; if necessary, stir in a drizzle of coconut oil or vegetable oil to make the chocolate loose enough to dribble.
- Drizzle the chocolate all over the biscotti, then immediately sprinkle peppermint chunks over them. Let them set for a few hours at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Store in an airtight container as long as a few weeks.
- OM NOM NOM!
