The Family Recipes

I think my daughter is scared that I'm going to disappear one day and all the family recipes are going to vanish with me. I think - actually I know - she has way over thought this 'family cookbook' thing.  I grew up on the traditional southern cooking, collard greens, lima beans and sage dressing at Thanksgiving.  Things that if I put on her plate today she would turn her nose at. So, while I hold my mother's recipe cook box near and dear to my heart my daughter must understand that as awesome a cook as my own mother was - many of her 'family' recipes came from the Sunday Paper.  The only difference now is my Sunday Paper only brings my coupons and my beloved Pinterest brings the family recipe I used for dinner.

So, today while making these awesome cookies for my daughter she says she has to learn how to make them.  Honey, if I am abducted by space creatures, just log into my Pinterest account.

Here they are, courtesy of http://www.bakersroyale.com/  I'm loving this site! The only change I would make to this is cutting back on the peppermint extract, maybe almost by 1/2.

Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

Yield: Approximately 48 two-inch cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 7 oz. chocolate, 65% cacao
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 2 large eggs
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 cup confectioner sugar

Directions:

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line bake sheet with parchment paper

1. Place flour and cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Place chocolate, butter and Nutella in a heavy-bottom pan over  low heat and stir until ingredients are melted and combined.; set aside.
3. Place eggs, egg white and sugar in a bowl and beat until the mixture is light in color and thick and fluffy in appearance with large bubbles (mixture will resemble pancake batter). Add in peppermint extract and beat to combine.
4. Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Gently fold in flour mixture until no streaks appear. Chill dough for 20 minutes.
5. Place confectioner sugar in a large bowl. Remove chilled dough, using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon drop dough into bowl with confectioner sugar. Push dough around to heavily cover it confectioner sugar. Place covered dough balls on parchment lined bake sheet one inch apart. Bake for 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, using a spatula press cookie flat.

A few notes:

• If you don't have peppermint extract, add one cup of crushed Hershey's Peppermint Kisses into the dough (after the flour is mixed in). Or feel free to leave out the peppermint completely for a straight chocolate crinkle cookie.
• In case you are wondering, no the Nutella does not leave any taste behind, but it does give the cookie added moisture without adding more butter to the cookie.
• The cookies come out slightly domed after baking. You can leave them that way or take a spatula and press it flat like I did. I preferred them flattened down, since it shows off the crinkle better and doesn't effect the taste or texture of the cookie by doing so.