MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Is there just enough green in these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies to make them appropriate for St Patrick’s Day? I say yes!

In the past I always made Guinness Brownies on St Patty’s Day, but seeing as how my kids probably shouldn’t be consuming beer brownies with whiskey frosting, I decided to make a kid-friendly St Patrick’s Day dessert (don’t worry, adults will love these too!).

What we have is soft and chewy peppermint cookies loaded with mint chips, chocolate chips and Andes chocolate candies.

To increase the peppermint flavor just a touch, I also add a little bit of peppermint extract to the cookies. This gives an underlying peppermint flavor in every single bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened slightly
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups mint chips, chocolate chips and/or chopped Andes candies see note

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and both sugars for 1-2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add egg and peppermint extract and beat until combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add 1 cup of mint chips/Andes/chocolate chips (the rest will be reserved for topping the cookies).
Scoop golf ball sized portions of dough (approximately 2 tablespoons) and place them a couple inches apart on the cookie sheets. Using the remaining 1/2 cup mix-ins, top each ball of dough with a few chips/candies (this makes for a prettier cookie).
Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown and the very center is still slightly underdone. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through cooking time, if necessary.
Place the baking sheets on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely.