Recipe: Andes Double Chocolate Cookies

I know why you’re here. You’re reading this because of that title, aren’t you.

I don’t blame you.

Let’s say it again, together this time:

Andes. Double. Chocolate. Cookies.

I make cookies about once a month. The kids love them, we love them, what’s not to love? These may have edged the Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies out of its place of honor. What cookie doesn’t want to be “The DeGrace Family Favorite”? I sure don’t know of any.

I used to be an awful cookie baker. Truly, awful. Hard, crispy pucks would need to be scraped from the cookie sheet and deposited directly in the trash can. After countless batches I have finally gotten better at making cookies. I would say they’ve passed the “barely edible” group and even the “decent” group and now reside in the “pretty darn delicious” group. My kids tell me they’re delicious and they don’t lie.

These are easy to make, fudgy, and with a delightful peppermint crunch. I bet there at least half a dozen people on your Christmas list that would kill a half dozen of these bad boys in about six minutes. They’ll tell you they lasted two days but don’t believe them. I slightly modified this recipe, found on Tootsie’s website in their recipe section dedicated to the Andes Peppermint Baking Chips. I’ll be making these for Christmas gifts for family so if you happen to read this then I guess the cat’s out of the bag. You can act surprised, okay?

If you’re anywhere near as lucky as I am, your 2-year old daughter will help make the cookies and will end up with 1/4 cup of baking cocoa all over the front of herself and her pretty new fairy costume. Then it’ll fall all over the floor when you take her dress off. If you’re really lucky you’ll also go through all this at 7:30am and before you have your first cup of coffee.

If you’re lucky.

Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.

Andes Double Chocolate Cookies (adapted from Tootsie.com)

2 sticks butter, softened

2 c. + 2 T. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. baking cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 package (10-oz) Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350^o. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla together for a couple minutes until light and fluffy and lightened in color. Beat in eggs. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture in at a time, with your mixer on low speed. Mix just until ingredients are combined and then add the Andes baking chips and chocolate chips and give a few mixes until they’re incorporated.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes (11 minutes was perfect in my oven). Pull them out when you think they’re almost done baking, let them sit a minute on the sheet and remove to cool.

And there you have it!

What is your family’s favorite cookie?