12 Days of Christmas Cookies: #4 Peppermint Bark Cookies

(This recipe is a repost from The List.)

Here it is: my new and improved Yuletide Cookie!

In version 1.0 of this cookie, I used ground-up candy canes as the sugar. But that didn't work out so well.

For version 2.0, I decided to put shattered candy canes on the outside and to use chocolate as the glue to hold them in place. To add to the spectrum of colors and flavors, I used three kinds of candies: red peppermint candy canes, green spearmint candy canes, and blue wintergreen starlight mints.

This is the  first non-"drop" cookie I've made, so I was a little nervous. (My cookie scoop is my security blanket for creating perfectly round, perfectly uniform cookies every time.) But it was really easy-peasy. I used chopsticks as thickness guides as I rolled out the dough, and I used a biscuit cutter to cut out perfectly round dough circles.

I used melted semi-sweet chocolate chips as the glue on these cookies because that's what I had on hand, but white chocolate, milk chocolate, and even dark chocolate would work.

I put each kind of candy in its own plastic bag and than tap-tap-tapped each one with a hammer to shatter the candy into nibble-sized pieces. This is a really good way to exorcise your holiday angst. If you're feeling less violent, you could always just drop the still-wrapped candy canes on the floor a couple times.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Yuletide [A.K.A. Peppermint Bark] Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients	1 1/4 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, melted 10-12 candy canes, crushed

1. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
2. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together until smooth.
3. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
6. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 mintutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350º.
8. Roll the cookie dough into a sheet about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out the individual cookies.
   
9. Place the cookie cutouts about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.
11. While the cookies are baking, shatter the candy canes and place the pieces in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
    
12. Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the chocolate and then into the crushed candy canes.
    
13. Return the cookies to the baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes so that the chocolate cools and solidifies.