peppermint-dark chocolate chip cookies

Another quick recipe day!

I made these cookies this past weekend using Martha Stewart's "Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe as an inspiration. I have provided the vegetarian AND vegan substitutions -- so enjoy, and have a great Thanksgiving. I'm taking a break from posting until later in the week.

PS: If you haven't already, now's the perfect time to pick up Martha Stewart's COOKIES cookbook.




Now back to the cookies!




PEPPERMINT-DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

What you'll need . . .

• 2-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (or Earth Balance, which is what I used) at room temp.
• 3/4 cup sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw, like always)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt (ONLY if you used the unsalted butter)
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 large eggs (or 1/2 cup applesauce)
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (vegans -- these will also work perfectly if you can't find dark chocolate that's dairy free)

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk together flour and baking soda in a bowl.
3. Put butter (or Earth Balance) and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy; about 2 minutes.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add salt (if you used unsalted butter), peppermint extract, and eggs (or applesauce), and mix until combined; about 1 minute.
5. Add flour mixture and mix until JUST combined.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop heaping tablespoons (and, yes, I measured them out -- see above -- to be that size for once) onto a nonstick baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
8. Bake cookies until centers are set and edges are golden -- about 10 to 12 minutes. Be sure to rotate sheets halfway through the backing process.
9. Let cool on sheets for 2 minutes . . . and then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Store cookies in airtight containers (they should be good for up to 1 week!)

What's to come?

Lindsey, one of my very best friends, recently wowed her office (which also happens to be my OLD office) with her Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites (topped with Maple-White Chocolate Frosting). Of course, I begged her to share with me so I could, in turn, share with all of you. I made a tasty coconut-cranberry stew last night. It's much more complicated than just those two flavors, so I still need to formulate an appropriate name.

x.o.x.o.