White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

This is actually gonna be one of the tiniest posts ever.  I know I've written that before, but this time it's true.  Finas week is usually super stressful and I rarely have time to do anything, but now that finals are over (yessss) and I'm at home (also, yessss), you'd think I'd have more time to do things and relax.  

Of course that's not the case. 

I have no idea what happened, but something is wrong with my back, and I have been pretty much unable to move for the past ten hours.  Sitting up is a nightmare, and I probably spent 15 minutes trying to simply get off my bed to walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water.  My back went from not hurting, to a state of intense and recurring charley horse-like cramps in a matter of seconds.  The three hour drive home (there was a ridiculous amount of traffic) was incredibly uncomfortable, and I've been lying down with a hot pack on my back for the entire time I've been home.  

I wanted to share this post for these white chocolate peppermint cookies with you though, because Christmas is coming and cookies need to be baked.  I'm propped up with three pillows, my hot pack, and my computer on my lap.  Thank goodness I already had the entire recipe already written out, and the photos edited and posted!

These white chocolate and peppermint cookies are adorable, delicious, simple to make, and undeniably festive.  They're tasty little cookies that would look lovely packed with some tissue paper in a red metal tin.  I love cookies packaged in tins.  Especially if they have a pretty ribbon tied around them!

Alright, it's time for me to go lie down again.  Hopefully I'll be feeling a little better in the morning and I can keep whipping up a few more holiday-inspired treats, and get started with my long list of Christmas baking for my friends and family!  These cookies are an adorable little treat, and should definitely be added to your Christmas baking list.  Enjoy!

White Chocolate and Peppermint Cookies
recipe from Food Network Magazine, December 2012

Ingredients

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped, divided in thirds
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons heavy cream
peppermint extract
hard peppermint candies, crushed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or with silicone liners. 

Melt one third of the chopped white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, or over a double boiler.  Set this melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

In the bowl of a standard electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the melted white chocolate until smooth, and then beat in the egg, and the vanilla extract.  Lower the mixer speed, and add the dry ingredients in two batches, beating until just combined.  Mix in another third of the chopped white chocolate.  

Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, and arrange them about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the cookies, until the edges are slightly golden, about 15 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the white chocolate glaze.  Melt the remaining chopped white chocolate in either the microwave or over a double boiler.  Stir in the heavy cream, and add a couple of drops of peppermint extract to taste.  Dip the tops of the cooled cookies in the glaze, and return to the rack (its ok if the glaze begins to drip down the sides of the cookies!), and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.  Let the glaze set, about an hour, and enjoy!

Makes about 2 dozen cookies