Peppermint Mocha Muffins

Love peppermint mocha coffee? You’ll love these Peppermint Mocha Coffee Muffins that are double the chocolate and double the peppermint.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
1 cup cocoa powder 
2 tablespoons espresso powder 
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
1 1/2 cups full fat plain greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon peppermint extract 
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
2/3 cup Andes peppermint baking chips

• Preheat your oven to 375º Fahrenheit and grease or line muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
• Set aside.
• In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick.
• Beat in the oil until incorporated
• Beat in the yogurt and peppermint extract until fully combined.
• Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Try not to over mix the batter. Be gentle!
• Fold in chocolate and Andes mints.
• Divide the batter between 24 muffin cups.
• Bake for 10 minutes then drop the heat down to 350º F
• Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe: Tastes of Lizzy T

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Dip

This Peppermint Hot Chocolate Dip is easy, no bake, festive deliciousness that uses just 3 ingredients and takes less than 5 minutes to make!

3/4 cups Chocolate Hershey's™ Spreads
3/4 cups marshmallow fluff
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 candy cane (chopped)

• In a medium sized bowl, stir together the chocolate and peppermint extract until well combined. 
• Swirl in the marshmallow fluff - do not mix completely. 
• Sprinkle chopped candy cane bits on top.
• Serve immediately.

If making in advance, cover the dip until ready to eat, then microwave for 30 seconds and stir slightly to ensure it's evenly heated.

Recipe: Back for Seconds

Conversion for Common Baking Ingredients

 

Hot Chocolate Truffles Bombs

Drop one of these decadent Hot Chocolate Truffles into a cup of hot milk and stir for the perfect hot cocoa! Pop them into a cellophane bag with a pretty Christmas ribbon for a deliciously easy gift. Hot Chocolate Bombs for all!

2 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Crushed canes or cocoa powder for rolling

• Over medium heat, melt chocolate chips, heavy cream, sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a sauce pan. 
• Stir until smooth. You can add flavorings like almond extract, peppermint extract if you like
• Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge until cool. (1-2 hours)
• Scoop out chocolate balls, a little bigger than a tablespoon
• Roll in crushed candy canes or cocoa powder. 
• Pop them in the freezer to set a little firmer and then wrap in plastic wrap, goody bags or in a box using mini cupcake liners! 
• Store in the fridge until ready to use!
• To use: Drop one truffle into a cup of hot milk and stir until smooth. 

Recipe: Your Cup of Cake

Gingerbread Fudge

 This quick and easy microwave fudge will be a new favorite holiday treat! Ideal for gift giving

2 (11oz) Bags White Chocolate Chips (about 3½ cups)
14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

Topping
2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon Gingerbread Spice
Gingerbread Boy Sprinkles - optional

• In a microwave safe bowl; combine white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.
• Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. 
• Microwave 30 more seconds, immediately add gingerbread spice and stir vigorously until smooth.
• Transfer to an 8x8 dish that has been lined with foil and generously greased with butter.
• Spread mixture evenly into dish.
• Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
• Remove fudge from dish and carefully peel foil from fudge. 
• Cut into cubes.
• If adding gingerbread boy sprinkles; melt 2-3 Tb white chocolate to attach sprinkles to fudge.
• Dust fudge with sugar mixture.

Recipe: Wonky Wonderful

Christmas Tree Cookie Stacks

A fun and festive twist on traditional sugar cookies. The cookies are layered with green frosting, then topped with sprinkles to create a Christmas tree appearance.

3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

FROSTING

1 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. water or milk
Green gel icing color
3 tbsp. red and white pearl sprinkles
18 yellow star sprinkles

• Preheat oven to 350º and line two cookie sheets with parchment.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. 
• Mix in egg and vanilla and almond extracts. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. 
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth. 
• Dough will be thick.
• Make three sizes of cookie dough balls: 1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons, and 3 teaspoons. 
• You should have an even number of each.
• Place medium and large cookies on a cookie sheet and press down slightly on each. 
• Bake until center looks mostly cooked, 7 to 8 minutes. 
• Place smallest balls of dough on another cookie sheet and press down slightly. 
• Bake until center looks mostly cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. 
• When cookies are done, remove from oven and let cool 2 to 3 minutes
• Transfer to a cookie rack to finish cooling.
• Make frosting: Beat butter until smooth. 
• Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 
• Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons water and mix until smooth. 
• Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 
• Add green gel icing color to frosting and mix until your desired shade of green.
• Assemble cookies: Get one size of each cookie. 
• Fit a piping bag with a medium sized star piping tip and fill bag with green frosting.
• Pipe a swirl of frosting onto the largest cookie
• Add the second medium sized cookie on top. 
• Pipe a swirl of frosting onto the second cookie
• Top with the smallest cookie. 
• Pipe a swirl on top of the final cookie
• Decorate with a star and round ornament sprinkles. 
• Continue building cookie trees, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe: Delish

Cranberry Orange Bun Wreath

A festive treat of a yeast dough studded with dried and candied fruit, rolled with orange and cranberries then baked in a wreath shape. Perfect for a Christmas breakfast or brunch

½ cup water, lukewarm
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
1 cup homogenized milk
1 stick (½ cup) butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
½ cup glazed orange peel

For the filling:
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
½ cup chopped orange peel and flesh
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
¼ cup almond flour

For the topping:
2 ½ cups confectioners’ (icing) sugar
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 tablespoons homogenized milk, room temperature
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

• Make the dough:Place sugar and warm water in a bowl, stirring to dissolve. 
• Sprinkle with yeast, stir and cover. 
• Let stand around 5 minutes until foamy.
• Warm milk in small saucepan on medium heat. 
• Add sugar and salt and stir to dissolve. 
• Add the butter and stir to melt.
• Combine yeast and milk mixtures in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
• Add 2 cups of flour and stir to combine. 
• Secure bowl in place on the stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. 
• Lock in position and run machine on low setting.
• Mix the eggs together in a small cup before adding them to the bowl. 
• The remaining 3 cups of flour go in, little by little. 
• Beat until you have a soft, sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with dried cranberries and orange peel, folding into the dough. 
• Place dough into a large lightly greased bowl. 
• Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in bulk.
• Make the filling:While the dough rises, place cranberries in a food processor or chopper and roughly chop. 
• Measure one cup of cranberries and transfer to a small saucepan. 
• Process orange peel and flesh in the same manner and transfer 1/2 cup into the saucepan.
• Stir together with brown sugar and almond extract and bring mixture to a simmer. 
• Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat and cool completely.
• Make the wreath:Turn the dough out onto floured work surface and roll it out to a rectangle that’s about 10 × 15-inches (or even slightly bigger) and about 1/4-inch thick. 
• Spread the filling across the surface, then sprinkle with almond flour.
• Starting on a long side, roll the dough up into a log. 
• Trim the ends to create a clean cut. 
• Lift log onto a parchment-lined pizza stone or baking dish and shape into a ring. 
• Cut slits 2/3 through the ring, 1-inch apart and turn each section on its side.
• Cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Make the glaze:Place sugar and butter in a small bowl and beat lightly using a hand mixer. 
• Add milk and almond extract and beat to remove lumps and create a smooth glaze. 
• Add a tiny bit more milk to thin slightly. 
• Transfer glaze to a piping bag.
• Bake the bun wreath:Preheat oven to 350°F. 
• Transfer wreath to oven and bake for 30 minutes, rotating it at the halfway point. 
• Bake until golden brown. 
• Cool to room temperature before applying the glaze.
• Place cooled wreath onto serving plate or tray, then transfer onto a lazy Susan. 
• Create a zig zag pattern of glaze going from the centre to the outside of the ring, gently turning the lazy Susan so the glaze is applied evenly.
• Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.

Recipe: Weekend at the Cottage

Eggnog Truffles

Don't let the holiday season pass by without making up a big batch of this Eggnog Truffles. Loaded with your favorite holiday eggnog flavor, from nutmeg to the rum flavoring , they are ideal for your cookie tray, late night indulgence, or to gift.

12-ounce bag white chocolate melts (or white chocolate almond bark), divided
1 1/2 Tablespoons eggnog
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg plus more to garnish

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and rum extract to a medium mixing bowl. 
• With an electric mixer, mix on medium speed until completely blended and smooth. 
• Set aside.
• Add ⅔ cup of the white chocolate melts and the eggnog to a microwave safe bowl. 
• Microwave at 50% power for one minute. 
• Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth. 
• Since all microwave wattages are different, you may have to microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. 
• Fold the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture.
• Place bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes for easier handling.
• Roll the truffle dough into 1 inch balls and place on the parchment lined cookie sheet. 
• Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow to harden. 
• Rolling the dough into balls with your hands will soften the dough quite a bit
• Melt the remaining white chocolate melts in the microwave at 50% power for one minute (or more, if needed). 
• Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted.
• Dip each truffle ball into the melted white chocolate and place back on the lined cookie sheet.
• Immediately, sprinkle ground nutmeg on top of each eggnog truffle.
• Chill for 30 minutes to allow the white chocolate coating to completely harden.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Recipe: Premeditated Leftovers