Life on Food: Peppermint Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies #fbcookieswap

Its that time of year again. One my my favorite things during the holidays right these years is the #fbcookieswap put on by Lindsay and Julie. Each November they organize hundreds of bloggers in a great worldwide cookie exchange. This year was a bit interesting for me trying to negotiate work travel, baby room updates, and nausea. By some miracle though I managed to wrap up and mail three boxes of cookies before Thanksgiving.

I always try out a new recipe for this exchange. Its great fun searching for a unique Christmas cookie that is hopefully universally pleasing. The bad news is if it turns out amazing Mr. J has to watch with a growling stomach as I wrap up each and every one of those cookies for others.

These cookies have all sorts of goodness in them. Mini chocolate chips, Peppermint JoJos (Trader Joe's version of Oreos) and candy canes. I cannot think of a more Christmas combination of sweet add ins.

After a few munches on the two extra cookies off these cookies went.

Over the last few weeks I have gotten a few shipments of cookies as well. One even came all the way from Hawaii complete with toffee, macadamia brittle and coffee. Funny enough, another package was filled with very similar cookies to the ones I made. Mr. J got his cookies after all. Thank you to Lindsay and Julie for putting this big event and to the marvelous bloggers who sent us cookies.

Peppermint Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Emily Morris, Adapted by Inside Bru Crew Life

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minute chi

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients (36 cookies)

1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz.)
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 candy cane pieces
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts in a bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until a soft dough forms. Add the cream cheese and beat in gently until combined.

Remove bowl from stand mixer. By hand stir in the candy cane 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.