Chocolate Peppermint and Orange Cookies

 

A random but delicious flavour paring, I experimented with chocolate, orange and peppermint cookies recently and as I made the recipe up on the fly I didn’t write down the ingredients or ratios I used. Of course the cookies were absolutely to die for in crunch, texture, taste and satisfaction. Pretty much this recipe took me 5 goes to get the right base cookie dough I was after as well as the right chocolate, orange and peppermint ingredient types (oils, essence, zest, peppermint crisp bars, cocoa, chocolate nibs), then there was the right ratios.

A week of a different recipe each night after work and I finally got to what I think I had in the first place. Lesson learnt – write down recipes when making them up!

 

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 110g caster sugar
• 115g brown sugar
• 1 vanilla
• 1 egg
• 8 drops peppermint oil
• 100g dark chocolate pieces
• 1/2 tsn orange essence
• 2 tsn orange zest
• 150g plain flour
• 1/3 tsn baking powder
• ½ tsn salt

 

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla into a bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
4. Add the orange essence, zest and oil, beat until combined.
5. In a separate bowl place, the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and sieve.
6. Beat in flour mix with electric beaters for 1 minute on slow.
7. Use hands to fold in chocolate pieces evenly.
8. Roll the dough into 20g balls and place onto the tray allowing for 5cm gaps between each biscuit.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown.
10. Leave the cookies on the tray to cool for 5 minutes then place on a cooling rack.
11. Dust with icing sugar or drizzle with white chocolate for decoration, enjoy!

Note: I have used peppermint oil not peppermint essence. I find the oil is much stronger and richer in flavour with no artificial aftertaste.