January Bliss Peppermint Twist (Print Version)

Chewy chocolate chip cookies with peppermint accents and a touch of vanilla for a festive feel.

# List of Ingredients:

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour

02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

03 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

06 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

07 - 1 large egg

08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

09 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

10 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

11 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

03 - Using an electric mixer or sturdy whisk, beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.

04 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the creamed mixture; blend until fully combined.

05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined without overmixing.

06 - Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies evenly.

07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.

08 - Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers appear slightly underbaked.

09 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

01 -

The peppermint and chocolate combination feels like a luxurious dessert, but these are surprisingly simple to pull together in under an hour from start to finish
These cookies stay soft in the center with slightly crispy edges, which is honestly the texture we all secretly crave but rarely achieve
They're the kind of cookies that make your kitchen smell absolutely incredible while they're baking, and everyone immediately wants to know what you're making

02 -

The moment the edges look set but the centers still appear slightly underbaked is exactly when you should pull them out. I learned this the hard way by overbaking my first batch, and the difference between underbaked and perfect is literally just 30 seconds
Room temperature ingredients matter more than you'd think. Cold eggs and butter won't combine smoothly, and you'll end up with a grainy dough that doesn't hold the peppermint flavor as well

03 -

Don't use peppermint chips instead of crushed candies, as they tend to lose their flavor in the heat. Real crushed peppermint candies maintain their bright intensity through baking
If your kitchen is warm, chill your dough for 15 minutes before baking. Warm dough spreads too much and cookies lose their shape