Mint Chocolate Delights and a Special Cookie Swap

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Mint Chocolate Cookies

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and special traditions. One of my absolute favorite things we do each year is a very special kind of Cookie Swap. Usually, the way a Cookie Swap works is that each participant bakes several dozen cookies and brings them to one location. The cookies are placed on a table and each person walks around with a container, filling it with all the different varieties to take home and enjoy. Our tradition starts out the same way; each person bakes six dozen cookies. We like to invite my grandmother over to bake with us; it’s so sweet to see her teaching Little Crafter {who wants to be a chef} the tips and tricks she’s learned over the past eighty five years!

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Everyone brings the cookies to our home on a particular night in December, and we fill containers just like you’d expect. But here’s the twist. We don’t keep them. We give them away. Instead of taking them home, we take them out into the community. Our large group splits into smaller ones and we make lists of where each group will go. Some of the cookies go to those who serve our town, like the volunteers at the Fire Hall, the folks who work at the library and nursing home, and the custodial staff at the local middle school. Some go to the adorable Boy Scout troop selling Christmas trees. Some are delivered to people we know who are shut-ins due to a recent illness or injury. And some go to people who least expect it, like whoever happens to be working the drive through window at a few close-by fast food restaurants.

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Here’s a photo of about half of us after delivering our treats a few years ago. We used to leave the kids with a babysitter while the adults went around town, but now that they’re older, they work the hardest of all, handing over the cookies with those million-dollar grins. They get so excited about giving something away and seeing the joy it brings. This is one of my absolute favorite traditions because it’s all about selflessness and generosity, and it teaches our kids those things too. Of course, once the deliveries are made, we come back to our house to enjoy some coffee and leftover cookies ourselves while we share the stories of people’s reactions. There’s nothing like being in the midst of friends and family telling these stories while the lights on the tree are sparkling and I have a mug of warm Starbucks coffee in my hand.

Starbucks Holiday Blend

You all know about my obsession with Starbucks, so it should come as no surprise that I actually used my favorite coffee as the inspiration for the cookies I plan on making for this year’s swap! You know I love the Salted Caramel Mocha, but when Christmas rolls around, nothing tastes better than a Peppermint Mocha. At home, you can brew some Starbucks Holiday Blend and add milk, along with peppermint and chocolate syrups to make your own version. Top it with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and crushed candy canes, and it’s a delicious treat you’ll want to make every day.

So, how does that turn into cookies? Simple! I decided to combine those two delicious flavors, mint and chocolate, with some basic sugar cookies.

Cookie Ingredients

You all know I’m no fancy chef, so I’m not about to create my own from-scratch cookie dough. But what I can do is take simple sugar cookies {I like the kind where all you have to do is break them apart and bake!} and turn them into mint chocolate masterpieces in just a few super easy steps.

Mint Chocolate Cookies

Mint Chocolate Delights

These delicious cookies are the perfect blend of chocolate, mint, and sweetness, and they'll look so festive on your holiday table!
Course: Dessert
Author: Amy Latta

Ingredients

  • Your favorite sugar cookie mix/premade dough
  • 1 package chocolate mint candies
  • 1 package candy canes crushed
  • Red decorating sugar

Instructions

  • Mix your cookie dough and roll the edges of each cookie ball in red sugar.
  • Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake according to package instructions.
  • Allow cookies to cool completely while you melt unwrapped chocolate mint candies. Microwave the candies at 50% power for 1 minute, stir, then microwave at 50% power for another 25 seconds.
  • Dip each cookie halfway into the melted candies.
  • Place the cookie on nonstick foil and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

Mint Chocolate Cookies

These turned out absolutely delicious…trust me, I had to taste test them…and they pair perfectly with my favorite coffee drink. You can find everything you need to make these cookies, along with Starbucks coffee at your local Target. I even got mine on sale!

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Right now, there’s a great deal to take advantage of too; get a $5 Starbucks Card e-gift when you purchase 3 or more qualifying Starbucks products. Talk about a win-win!

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What are some of your favorite traditions to make your celebrations even merrier? I’d love to hear about them, especially if Starbucks coffee is involved!

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4 Comments

  1. What a lovely tradition! Seriously I was tearing up a bit thinking about the reactions you and your family must get from people. That is so kind of you. And I love this simple cookie recipe idea. A great way to make premade cookie dough special for the holidays. #client

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