Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkles

Say hello to your new favorite holiday cookie – Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkles. A crinkle cookie with a layer of chocolate buttercream and peppermint buttercream then finished off with crushed candy cane. They’re amazing!

I’m so late getting this post up, but last week was a bit of an emotional roller coaster with three different funerals, so the fact that I’m even getting a post up today is a miracle.

I am totally smitten with these Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkles and so is everyone that has eaten one. They are rich, decadent, and the most delicious holiday cookie.

Let’s take a minute and just talk about this decadent cookie shall we?

A fudgy chocolate crinkle topped with decadent chocolate buttercream, then a layer of peppermint buttercream and then finished off with a sprinkling of crushed candy cane.

It’s the best of my favorite holiday flavors all rolled into one cookie.

These cookies just scream Christmas and your friends and family are going to love you if you’re nice enough to share these with them.

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How to make Candy Cane Crinkles:

1. Beat the wet ingredients together. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the melted chocolate, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Mix until creamed and fluffy.
2. Add the dry ingredients. Add the baking powder, salt, flour and cocoa and mix until well combined. 
3. Chill the dough in the refrigerator. Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. *Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough, don’t skip this step.
4. Roll cookie dough into balls. After chilling, roll the cookie dough into balls, about the size of a golfball. Flatten cookies slightly using the palm of your hand.
5. Coat in powdered sugar. Roll the cookie dough balls into granulated sugar, then a hefty dunk in confectioners’ sugar.
6. Bake. Bake 12 to 13 minutes, don’t overbake! They will still look soft and the tops should be crackled. Remove from oven and let sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.
7. Frost cookies. Frost with a layer of chocolate butter cream, then after the chocolate buttercream has set, finish off with a layer of peppermint buttercream and some crushed candy cane.

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A few helpful hints:

• Don’t skip chilling the dough! This is a thick, sticky dough that will be a huge mess to roll into balls if you try doing it without chilling it first.

• Powdered sugar coating. Rolling the balls in a light coating of granulated sugar first isn’t a necessary step, but it does help the powdered sugar to stay “whiter” and stick better as they bake. Because crinkle cookies are are extra moist the powdered sugar can end up melting a bit and/or turn yellow-ish. So, if you want the stark white powdered sugar on top, coat the cookie dough balls in a little granulated sugar first. (FYI, I did forget to do that when I made the batch of cookie I photographed for this post . . . oops!)

• Thick or flat? If your cookies don’t flatten out as much as you’d like you can bang the pan on the counter after they bake or flatten them even more with your palm before you bake them. On the flip side, if you want a thicker cookie, barely flatten them before baking or don’t flatten them at all.

• Start with less. the smaller amount of peppermint oil/extract and then add more if you want the peppermint flavor stronger. It’s always best to start with less because obviously you can add more, but can’t take out what you’ve added in.

• Leftover frosting. If you have left over frosting (which you probably will) throw it on some graham crackers or store in the fridge for another use.

If you’re drooling right now, then my job is complete.

You will love this recipe, I mean how could you not? Here we have a fudgy, brownie-like cookie, chocolate butter cream, peppermint buttercream and crushed candy cane all in one! These might even become a new holiday favorite!

Enjoy!

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Recipe Source: Cookie recipe adapted slightly from BHG New Cookbook; buttercream recipes from 5 Boys Baker.