Thursday, December 13, 2012

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Oreos

I used to love to bake.  Still do, actually.  But between my day job, a few pieces of contract work, deadlines, and my poor time management skills, I rarely find the TIME to bake.

But I hang out here in the kitchen, watching my fellow bloggers make all these wonderful tasty treats, and it makes me want to make wonderful tasty treats, too ... especially during the holiday season, when there's no better way to end the day with a cookie and a cup of cocoa.

So here's my busy-girl's fancy cookie idea:  Oreos.

Seriously.  Oreos are close to a perfect food as it is, but fudge dipped Oreos are killer.  I decided to make them a little more Christmasy by using dark chocolate, lacing it with peppermint extract, and then sprinkling a bit of crushed candy cane on top.  That last bit started off as a purely aesthetic addition, but it turns out that that little bit of pure peppermint crunch really ups the stakes.

Here's my Christmas recipe, in all its glory ... this one is dedicated to the folks who are so frantic that they occasionally leave their cell phone in the refrigerator (true story).

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Oreos

1 package of Oreos or similar chocolate sandwich cookie
1 bag dark chocolate chips
1 Tbs. shortening
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 full size candy canes

Getting ready:  First, you have to smash the candy canes to smithereens.  It's a great stress reliever.  (Take that, Rudolph!).  Second, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Peppermint Aftermath

Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-proof bowl.  Microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute, until the chocolate is melted but not scorched.  (For a single bag, microwave on full power, I found 2 minutes to be absolutely perfect.)

Try not to think of the transfats involved in this recipe.

Stir the peppermint extract into the chocolate mixture.  Using a fork, drop the Oreos one at a time into the melted chocolate, turning to coat, and then using the fork to lift the cookie back out.  Drag the fork across the lip of the bowl to remove extra chocolate.  Place the chocolate-coated cookie on the parchment paper.  Pause every six cookies or so to sprinkle them with crushed candy cane.

Refrigerate the trays of cookies for about an hour, until the chocolate hardens.  Use a thin spatula to remove the cookies from the tray and plate.

Note:  A single bag of chips makes about 20 cookies.  If you want to do a whole package of Oreos, double the chocolate, shortening, and peppermint extract, and beat another candy cane to death.

9 comments:

  1. Oh, chocolate and peppermint - you got me, Wendy! It's my favorite combo this Christmas. Love your take on it, too. Happy Holiday to you and Happy New Year!

    ~ Cleo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Easy, pretty and perfect. What a fun thing for kids to do, too! Wendy, love this one. Bet it would work with the gluten-free "Oreo", too. Whee.

    Happy, merry.

    Daryl /Avery

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, yes. Very kid friendly. (In fact, one of my colleagues is planning to try this with her daughter's girl scout group.) Next up: chocolate-covered nutter butters!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree that this is perfect for kids who want to help! But most of all, I'm laughing about the phone in the fridge. It's so reassuring to know we all have days like that. Love the festive cookies!

    ~ Krista

    ReplyDelete
  5. Next up: chocolate-covered nutter butters - Mr. Wendy will be begging for mercy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds yummy AND therapeutic! Dark chocolate and candy canes? I'm in!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm big on homemade Christmas cookies from my mother's and my two grandmother's recipes, even with a full-time job and a three-book contract, but this might find its way into my regular holiday routine. I can just imagine how good they taste!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I moved to candy a few years ago when my oven was broken and could not make cookies. I have some Gingerbread Oreos and plan to dip them in Eggnog (white chocolate with fresh nutmeg).

    My kids love it when I put a lolipop stick in the Double stuff oreos and dip them in chocolate. The HS Band and softball team love them topped with school colors sprinkles to celebrate! TIP - Freeze the oreos with the stick in the filling before dipping them in the chocolate so the creme doesn't melt and let the cookie fall off the stick into the chocolate.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Susie - these are all brilliant ideas! You've expanded my "baking" repertoire by miles with your post.

    ReplyDelete