Thursday, March 17, 2011

Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cookies




Happy St. Patrick's Day! We had a fun little treat with green to help us be in the mood. We all wore some green today. Can you spot Alexander's green? He was more in the mood to support BYU than to wear a green shirt.
So, the recipe--these yummy gems came from Diana's Desserts and we are going to have them again. Who wouldn't love chocolate-mint cookies with mini chocolate chips with a green mint frosting, drizzled with chocolate? Okay, Sabrina, but besides a picky, but cute 8-year old?

Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Cookie:

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. peppermint extract
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled slightly
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips

Frosting:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. butter, softened
1 T. milk
1/4 t. peppermint extract
1 drop green food color

Drizzle:
1/2 c. semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips
1/2 t. vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 375º. Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and 1 cup mini chocolate chips in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy (1 to 2 minutes).

Reduce speed to low. Add flour; beat until mixture forms a dough (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in 1 cup mini chocolate chips by hand.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to 1 1/2-inch circle with bottom of glass dipped in flour. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until set. (DO NOT OVER BAKE.) Let stand 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack.

Combine all frosting ingredients in small mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, adding milk, 1 teaspoonful at a time, if necessary until frosting is smooth. Frost cooled cookies. Place on waxed paper.


Place 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth (60 to 90 seconds). Drizzle thin lines of chocolate over frosting with teaspoon. Let stand until chocolate is set (at least 30 minutes).


If desired, place melted chocolate in small resealable plastic food bag. Cut tiny tip off one corner of bag to drizzle chocolate (or be lazy like me and drizzle it from a spoon).


Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies
Here Spencer Glenn's video to Love & Life, the first song on the player above. I just wanted to include it because it has photos of him and his beautiful wife and I think it's sweet. I'm in the mood for sweet right now. He is new to the music scene so check him out at Reverbnation and watch more of his videos on YouTube (I like The Bottom too) and then make sure you give him some feedback so he keeps making good music. 

15 comments:

  1. I adore chocolate and mint! Thanks for recipe. :)

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  2. THE recipe is what I meant to say. The cookies were just too much a yummy distraction, I guess.

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  3. Looks yummy! glad you were able to celebrate together today :)

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  4. That is a sweet video.
    Like the green glasses! It was fun to go to school today and see all the green in the classrooms and roaming the halls.

    The cookies look delish!

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  5. Those cookies look SO good! YUM YUM! I love anything chocolate and mint! :)

    I found your blog today on julie's blog! :)

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  6. Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread? Those words were meant to go together.

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  7. Oh my goodness. I am drooling over here. MUST.TRY.THESE. Thanks for sharing!!! :)

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  8. YUM...chocolate mint anything. Adam also doesn't like chocolate mint cookies so I never get them. Yum, yum. I won't be making them though since he's allergic to mint. But I'll just be tasting them in my mind all day now.

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  9. Tiffany, too bad you live across the country or I'd bring some cookies over to you.
    It wouldn't satisfy your choco-mint craving, but I'm sure these cookies would taste great using almond or orange extract instead. As a matter of fact, I might have to try that sometime.

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  10. Um those look too good to be allowed! Seriously, to die for! YUM! And I don't know why but I really didn't know chocolate shortbread was possible.

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  11. Okay you made me drool all over my iPad-those look so so good.

    And I like your son-anyone who supports/likes BYU is awesome in my book :)

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  12. Thanks for stopping by. Elder Holland IS AWESOME!!
    I have the blue - red war raging in my house. hubby went to BYU and our youngest is on his side. College boy chose UofU and our 13 yr old is on his side. They said I have to break the tie and I declared to be "Switzerland"... LOL!! 13 yr old came home from school on SPD with green marker on his hand because he chose to wear his UTE shirt and was being pinched. LOL!!

    The cookies look YUMMY!! May have to try those! Thanks for the recipe!! I also wasn't familiar with Spencer Glenn... I like it! ;D

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  13. what a yummy recipe! and your kids are so cute :-)

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  14. Hi Valarie: Thanks for checking in on my post on wrinkles.
    I enjoy reading a few of your posts. I liked the post on the family proclamation and your thoughts. Also, thanks for the short bread recipe; I will make some for my grandchildren. The video was awesome too. I will check in again.
    Here's my blog, Living Waters -
    http://lgwilliams.blogspot.com

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