Happy Holidays ~ Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Merry Christmas Eve!  Celebrate with some of my signature Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies filled with peppermint.  I used all milk chocolate chips, added peppermint extract, and pressed crushed candy canes into the dough.  The candy canes melt into the dough but keep their great crunchy texture.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cup), melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups + 2 T all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 cups Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips (1 package)
candy canes, crushed into small pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Add cooled butter to large stand mixer. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and cream until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract and beat until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, and mix just until combined. Turn the mixer off and stir in the chocolate chips.

Use a 2 oz. cookie scoop and place rounded dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. You can also use your hands and roll 2 T cookie dough into balls. The dough is smooth and not sticky at all.  Press some of the crushed candy cane pieces into the top and sides of dough.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until edges are lightly brown and centers are still soft and puffy. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!