Cookies and the holidays just seem to go together! Our contest proved to be very popular with well over 200 entries received. A favorite of young and old alike, cookies appeal to the Cookie Monster in all of us.
It was a difficult decision narrowing down the choices and the ultimate winners. Judges commented that the cookies in first, second and third places “tasted like Christmas.” First place goes to the Peppermint Mocha Cookies submitted by Julia Herschberger. Judges loved the combination of chocolate, coffee and mint making it the clear winner. The Stroopwafels submitted by Rachel Peterson and Gingerbread Macarons from Isabel Talamantes contain the warm winter spices appreciated by all.
Enjoy the eight recipes included in these pages and be sure to go to icl.coop/cookiecontest to check out all submissions. You just may find some new recipes for your Cookie Monsters.
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 8 ounces white chocolate
- 3 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars and egg. Add vanilla and dry ingredients. Dough will be thick and stiff. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop by tablespoons onto parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Cookies will look very soft in center. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
- Melt white chocolate. Make sure chocolate chips in cookies are hardened before dipping cookies in white chocolate. Dip cookies halfway into chocolate and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes on top of white chocolate. Place in fridge to harden.
