December is here and the holidays are quickly approaching. Baking is great around this time of year because not only does it warm you up, but simple treats such as cookies are perfect to bring to parties or give as gifts. My favorite cookies are the peppermint crinkle cookies from Panera Bread and I found an easy way to recreate them with cake mix.
Ingredients:
1 box of chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
¼ cup water
⅓ cup oil
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Powdered sugar (to roll cookies in)
Makes about a dozen cookies.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and peppermint extract in a mixing bowl and stir with an electric mixer or large spoon until smooth. The consistency should be thicker than cake mix and more like cookie dough.
-
Roll the cookie dough into balls, then roll them in powdered sugar so they are evenly covered.
-
Evenly place the cookie dough on a baking sheet and press the dough down a little bit (use a fork for a nice criss-cross pattern). The cookies will spread out on their own as they bake but this helps make the perfect size.
-
Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
These cookies were amazing. I came up with this recipe on the spot, hoping it would be a quick dupe for the Panera cookies. While it wasn’t an exact match, the richness of the cake batter and the hint of peppermint definitely gave a similar effect. Initially I didn’t know how much of the peppermint extract to add, so I gradually mixed in a ¼ of a teaspoon until I could taste it.
I love mint and I was afraid I would add too much. However, my friends loved the cookies and reassured me that they did not taste like toothpaste. Feel free to adjust the amount of peppermint depending on your preference. If you want even more chocolate you can add chocolate chips in as well. If you love chocolate and peppermint, these cookies are a must during the holidays.