Friday, December 5, 2014

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies

 Today, I think I get the coolest wife award!  I made my husband not one, not two, but three treats to take into work for the staff to munch on while they were doing trainings today!  I am going to miss being home the two weeks prior to Christmas, so I guess I'm trying to get my love for holiday baking out of the way before we head out.  So stay tuned for the rest of those recipes :)  
 As I was mixing up the dough for these cookies, I thought there was no way they would turn out.  I was absolutely positive there were ten times for mix-ins than dough itself.  I mean we have peppermint crunch pieces, Oreos, and dark chocolate chips...and a lot of each!  I was happy to see that they actually baked up according to plan.  
They are delicious, super soft, and have a great mint flavor.  They are so perfect to take to neighbors or send out the door with your spouse when they have a meeting at work ;)  Or best yet, pour yourself a glass of milk and kick back to have one (or ten).

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies

1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz.)(I use Pillsbury)
1 stick butter, melted (8 Tbsp.)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup Oreo cookie chunks
1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions

Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts. Beat until a soft dough forms. Add the cream cheese and beat in gently until combined. Stir in the peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips first. Then gently stir in the cookie pieces by hand being careful not to break up the cookie more. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into 36 balls. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will be very soft and look undone. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spatula to a piece of wax paper on the counter.
Very gently tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of the spatula to even out the tops. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in a sealed container. Makes 36 cookies.

Recipe Source:  Inside Brew Crew Life