Description
Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Cookies are a festive treat combining classic chocolate chips with white chocolate and peppermint candies, perfect for holiday celebrations or cozy winter days. These soft, chewy cookies feature a delightful balance of sweetness and minty freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create tender cookies.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to fully incorporate them, then stir in the vanilla extract to add flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can cause tough cookies.
- Fold in Chips and Peppermint: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and crushed peppermint candies to evenly distribute these festive mix-ins.
- Shape Cookies: Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown, indicating the cookies are fully baked but still soft in the center.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely, which helps them set and prevents breakage.
Notes
- You can customize the seasonings to taste by adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra warmth.
- Substitute crushed candy canes for peppermint candies if preferred.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
