Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use 1 cup milk and 1/2 c. semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar for two minutes.  Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and mix until light and fluffy.  Mix in the vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and gradually mix into wet mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.  

Form dough into roughly 1 1/2- 2 inch balls (I like to use a 1 3/4 Tablespoon cookie scoop).   Place dough balls on cookie sheet, leaving 2-inches between each.  Bake for 8-9 minutes or until tops of cookies start to crack (mine are perfect at 9 minutes).  Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.  Repeat with remaining cookie dough.  When cookies are cool, top with frosting and crushed candy canes, if desired.  Makes around 42 cookies.  

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

pinch of salt

1 Tbl. vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1-2 Tbl. milk, as needed

1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy canes, for garnish, opt.

In a large bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese and salt until smooth.  Add the vanilla bean paste or vanilla and mix until combined.  Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Add a little milk, if needed, to reach desired spreading consistency.  Beat until fluffy.  Spread over cooled cookies and top with crushed candy canes.

Base cookie adapted from: Jamie Cooks It Up

Frosting from: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

https://sites.google.com/site/eatcakefordinner/chocolate-peppermint-cookies?previewAsViewer=1

Cookie Butter Pound Cake

For the Cake
• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup cookie butter (i.e. Biscoff Spread or Trader Joes Cookie butter)
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze
• 1¾ cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• speculoos cookies, crumbled (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Grease and flour a standard bundt pan; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Using a countertop mixer, cream together the butter, cookie butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes on medium speed.)
4. Add eggs; mix until well combined.
5. Add remaining ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, milk, sour cream and vanilla). Mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
6. Using a spatula, pour batter into greased bundt pan.
7. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out mostly clean.
8. Let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes and then transfer to a baking rack until completely cool.
9. Meanwhile, make the Glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth.
10. Pour Glaze on top of cooled cake and garnish with crumbled speculoos (i.e. Biscoffj) cookies.

https://spicedblog.com/cookie-butter-pound-cake.html