During the holidays, the internet is awash with complicated cookie recipes. If you read from one blog to the next it’s almost, almost as if each blogger is trying to outdo the next with the extravagance of their brand new favorite holiday cookie.
I am not one of those bloggers.
Several years ago I saw a cookie recipe on Martha Stewart that required a few simple ingredients: prepared sugar cookie dough, peppermint extract, red food dye, white chocolate and crushed peppermint.
The idea was to flavor the sugar cookie dough with the peppermint, dye half the dough red and braid them into candy canes. Once baked and cooled, you dipped them into the white chocolate and crushed peppermints.
It was way too complicated for me.
I consider myself to be an excellent baker but making things look pretty?
Not always my bag.
I can make desserts that naturally look appealing, like rustic apple tarts and fudge brownies that relentlessly call your name until you eat a second.
I can’t, however, decorate a birthday cake to rival Cake Boss or ice a sugar cookie that resembles anything other than a second graders failed art project.
The moral of this story is that if I am going to make a holiday cookie, it’s going to be an easy recipe and this one fits the bill.
It’s simple: you start with prepared sugar cookie dough and combine it with crushed chocolate peppermints.
When the cookies are cooled, dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle them with your choice of crushed peppermint, colored sugar or sprinkles.
- 1 roll 16.5 ounce Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies
- 1 5-ounce box chocolate mint wafer candies (such as Andes)
- 1 12-ounce bag white chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- Colored sugar or sprinkles
- Heat oven to 350Β°F. In a small bowl, crush chocolate wafer candies into chunks. In a larger bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in chocolate wafer candies into cookie dough until itβs well blended.
- Drop dough by tablespoon on ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Cool 5 minutes and then remove from cookie sheets to wire cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove. Melt shortening and white chocolate chips in the bowl over low heat until chocolate has melted. Dip half of each cookie into the white chocolate mixture. Dust with colored sugar or sprinkles.
- Let stand until glaze is set. Store in an airtight container for three days or freeze indefinitely.
I was compensated by General Mills to develop this recipe.Β All opinions here are my own.
40 Comments
Catherine
December 1, 2012 at 6:43 pmThese are fantastic! Made them for a book group I belong to, they were a big hit.
Ellyn
December 25, 2011 at 6:51 pmI do not bake, but I was invited to a cookie exchange. This recipe was the easiest and turned out the best cookies ever! I was asked for more π
The Teacher Cooks
December 18, 2011 at 4:04 pmThis is my kind of decorating!!!!
Divya @flavourfiesta
December 8, 2011 at 12:20 pmLoving the festive look on those cookies. Best of all, these are so easy to make which means less holiday stress!
Kate Wall
December 5, 2011 at 1:09 pmMaris, these look divine! And I love how easy they are to make!
Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking
December 4, 2011 at 12:49 pmMaris, these really look delicious and I am DYING to break out package of pre-made cookie dough!! It will just have to wait a couple of months though. π
belle (tinkeringinthekitchen)
December 3, 2011 at 8:37 amthis looks so yummy! Ive bookmarked it ready to get the ingredients next time I brave the supermarket, thanks! Belle
EA-The Spicy RD
December 1, 2011 at 10:12 pmFun easy cookies with your own special twist-love it! And, I too, leave much in the way of the imagination in the cake decorating department. Sigh…
vianney
December 1, 2011 at 3:36 pmHola Maris!!! I love simple,simple, simple on the holiday, Marhta kills me, lol
take care and good luck on your new venture!!
Kelly
November 30, 2011 at 4:04 pmThe sound of that Martha recipe makes me laugh. At that point, you’re better off just starting with scratch ingredients. I hear you on the outdoing of each other, I think it can definitely seem that way. From my point of view it is often that it feels like EVERYTHING has been done so how do you possibly create something that seems interesting. It’s hard because I LOVE posting about holiday baking, but many of us are making the same classic recipes.
natalie (the sweets life)
November 30, 2011 at 3:00 pmat this time of year, simple is GOOD!
Sarah Caron
November 30, 2011 at 11:39 amI am all for simple recipes. Since I do so much baking at the holidays, anything complicated just makes it too much. These look delicious.
Bee
November 30, 2011 at 11:08 amLast year I took on the task of making an assortment of cookies for all the neighbors–cookies boxes of five different kinds, all from scratch. Guess what I’m NOT doing this year, heh.
These look lovely and simple! Well done π
Lora @cakeduchess
November 29, 2011 at 9:33 pmThere is nothing like the smell of cookies baking in the oven…especially at holiday time. Love how this is uncomplicated and delicious:)
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
November 29, 2011 at 12:01 pmEasy cookies in the middle of the holiday season sound perfect! These look great.
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite
November 29, 2011 at 9:26 amI love this! A perfect, simple treat and it looks holiday-ready in all its frosted, sprinkled glory π I’ve really been craving some peppermint this week too!
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray
November 29, 2011 at 8:17 amThis recipe is right up my alley! Love how easy it is!
alyssa - fashion fitness foodie
November 29, 2011 at 7:39 amI’m a sucker for anything mint flavored!
Brittany
November 29, 2011 at 2:54 amThese look perfectly festive! I love classic recipes too. I find that over complicated cakes and cookies are tiring when we need to just rest during Christmas.
Nancy@acommunaltable
November 28, 2011 at 10:24 pmI am a charter member of the “can’t decorate worth a hill of beans club”!! But I always make sugar cookies from scratch during the holidays … if I didn’t, I think my boys (all three.. hubs and sons) would stage a major revolt. I admit it, I spoiled them.. they know the difference!! Fortunately, the sugar cookie recipe is dead simple to make and pretty much infallible… in all the years I’ve made it (including a few times when the mercury hit over 80 degrees in DECEMBER!!) it hasn’t failed me once! But, I am all for using pre made products and these cookies sound perfect!
Elle
November 28, 2011 at 7:20 pmHey, good for you! These look very nice – I don’t bake cookies on the boat but in a couple of weeks after we move into the house for the rest of the winter, I will be getting into it… will try these for sure.
thanks!
Barbara | Creative Culinary
November 28, 2011 at 7:05 pmShh don’t tell some people but I also like using products that can simplify the process. While typically I bake from scratch, I love Pillsbury cookie dough. And prepared pie dough. Take away my card if you must, but the ease combined with great results is perfect sometimes. These are cute and sound delish.
Alexis @ There She Goesa
November 28, 2011 at 3:57 pmi must admit – i enjoy a simple cookie recipe over a complicated one! these look great π
Caroline
November 28, 2011 at 3:16 pmI’m all about easy cookie recipes, and these sound fantastic, Maris! Very festive, I love them. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, btw. xx
Carolyn
November 28, 2011 at 12:08 pmEasy, and yet they look so darn pretty. Who said it wasn’t your bag???
Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet
November 28, 2011 at 10:12 amSuper easy!! What a great recipe when you don’t feel like making cookies all day long. Thank you!!! π
xoxo
Heather
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour
November 28, 2011 at 7:38 amSimple. Festive. Delicious. Way to go Maris!
Erica
November 28, 2011 at 7:32 amyahhhhhhhhhhhh….I don’t do complicated recipes either- who has the time?? These are gorgeous- so festive!
Kitchen Belleicious
November 28, 2011 at 7:18 amOh they are super easy and right up my alley. I am with your Maris, I can bake and I can cook but decorate I can NOT! I always try to be “martha” in my crafting and decorating but it really never ever turns out right! So i gave up a long time ago! This cookie looks amazing!
Blond Duck
November 28, 2011 at 6:05 amSee, this is a real recipe. I love it.
Mom
November 28, 2011 at 5:18 amI am totally with you on this! These look fantastic! Often times simple is soooo much better
yummychunklet
November 27, 2011 at 10:24 pmThese sound delicious and so festive!
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
November 27, 2011 at 8:54 pmMmm…peppermint and chocolate are so good together. These cookies sound really good and easy to make. π
Roz@weightingfor50
November 27, 2011 at 8:20 pmLove this Maris. Simple really is best!!!! Take care!!!
Alana D
November 27, 2011 at 6:01 pmI am in total agreement,find a recipe you like and tweak it for different occasions.Well done!
Kay
November 27, 2011 at 4:25 pmThese look so festive!
Melissa@IWasBornToCook
November 27, 2011 at 3:59 pmI don’t mind the complicated recipes but like to have simple ones that are good as well. These look delicious.
Simply Life
November 27, 2011 at 3:40 pmthese look great! Too many ingredients and steps most often means it’s a recipe I won’t try!
Amy @ Tasty Top
November 27, 2011 at 2:58 pmThese cookies look like great holiday treats.
lynn @ the actor's diet
November 27, 2011 at 1:26 pmthanks for this recipe! i’m not one of those bloggers either…