peppermint Archives - Cooking Classy

Oreo Balls Oreo Truffles

Jaclyn — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Oreo Balls AKA Oreo Truffles are the perfect treat for any occasion! They only require THREE ingredients, they couldn't be easier to make and they taste unbelievably delicious. They're always the first thing to go at parties and I'm yet to meet someone who doesn't love them!

Oreo Balls Made Two Ways

These really are one of our favorite treats! People go crazy over them and they're always amazed to learn how simple they are.

Everywhere I take them they are always loved by people of all ages. My brother who doesn't care for desserts is always asking me to makes these.

You just can't go wrong with this recipe. It only makes sense because they're made up of all delicious things - Oreos, cream cheese and chocolate!

If you've never made truffles before or dipped candies in chocolate this is a great place to start! The recipe is so straight forward. Once you try these you'll be hooked!

These truffles are deliciously rich, perfectly chocolatey and the addition of cream cheese just makes them sing. Who new something so incredibly easy could be so incredibly tasty?

My personal favorite are the Oreo balls dipped in white chocolate, it's keeps that classic cookies and cream flavor going. But of course chocolate is delicious too, you get a double chocolate flavor.

For the Christmas season you should try the peppermint version (see photo at the bottom of this post), all you have to do is add a little peppermint extract to the truffle mixture then garnish with crushed candy canes before the chocolate sets.

Watch the Video!

[wprm-recipe-video]

Peppermint Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

Jaclyn — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 00:16:58 +0000

Peppermint Chocolate Cake - decadent, rich, and fluffy chocolate cake is flavored with the addition of peppermint and it's a perfect pairing. This dreamy dessert is a perfectly festive holiday cake recipe!

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

I'm all about peppermint everything lately, and one of my favorite combinations is chocolate and peppermint together - like York peppermint patties.

Well, imagine the flavors of a York or Junior Mints in soft and decadent cake form! Yes, it's seriously dreamy, and it should definitely be added to your holiday baking list - probably at the very top :).

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows – The Perfect Hot Cocoa Stirrers

Jaclyn — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows are the perfect holiday treat! Soft, fluffy, and sweet marshmallow with the undeniably festive flavor of cool peppermint and rich, dipped chocolate. They're great for holiday gifts or for serving with a warm cup of hot cocoa. Deliver as Christmas neighbor gifts, teacher holiday gifts, or for a delicious White Elephant gift.

Perfect Homemade Holiday Marshmallows

I know I know, you're thinking Christmas already!? Well, these aren't just a Christmas treat. Yes they do make a wonderful and festive Christmas treat but to me these are the best upgrade hot cocoa has ever been given, and hot cocoa isn't just for Christmas.

Words nearly cannot express the complete and utter bliss I experienced when dipping one of these chocolate and peppermint candy coated homemade peppermint marshmallows into a cup of hot cocoa. And I used to think dunking Twix candy bars in hot cocoa was good. It's like winter S'mores somehow.

As you dunk and swirl the marshmallow the chocolate coating becomes warm and turns to the most incredible melt-y goodness, and the peppermint candy softens a bit while it's flavors prepare you for the dreaminess ahead, then the best part - the marshmallow will melt and puff a little as it becomes creamy and inexplicable delicious.

Heaven on a stick. I want the whole batch of chocolate covered homemade marshmallows to myself but somehow I must learn to share because these are too good not to share.

I thought of calling these Peppermint Hot Cocoa Stirrers because I think hot cocoa dipping is definitely their best use, but you can call them what ever you'd like.

An Easy to Make Recipe

This was only my second time making homemade marshmallows (don't ask me why I haven't made them a million times more because they are so good) so don't worry they really are quite simple to make. The mixer does the hard part.

The key is just in following directions. Alton Brown's recipe for marshmallows is the one I made a few years ago and this time around and it's probably the only one I will ever need. The only change I made was replacing the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. I hope you love these irresistible treats as much as I do! Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows – The Perfect Hot Cocoa Stirrers

These soft and fluffy peppermint flavored, chocolate covered marshmallows are the perfect holiday treat! They're great for gifts or for serving with a warm cup of hot cocoa.

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water (, divided)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp peppermint extract (, to taste*)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
butter (, for coating baking dish)

Peppermint Bark Marshmallows

12 oz . chopped chocolate (, semi-sweet chocolate chips or almond bark)
3/4 cup crushed candy canes
1 recipe peppermint marshmallows (, above (store bought marshmallows would work fine too))
lollipop sticks or straws

Place gelatin in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Pour in 1/2 cup ice cold water (don't mix yet), let rest while you prepare sugar syrup.
In a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cover saucepan with lid and heat mixture over medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes. Uncover saucepan and cook mixture, without stirring, until mixture reaches exactly 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Once mixture reaches 240 degrees immediately remove from heat.
Turn stand mixer on low speed and with mixer running, slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once all the syrup has been added, increase mixer to high speed (I set mine on the 8 of the KitchenAid stand mixer) and whip mixture until it is lukewarm, very fluffy and very thick, about 12 - 15 minutes. Add the peppermint extract during the last minute of mixing.
While the mixture is blending, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and cornstarch then run a stick of butter along the bottom and edges of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish (making sure you coat all areas, including corners, to prevent sticking). Sprinkle a few tbsp of the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture over the buttered baking dish and move dish back and forth to evenly coat, then shake off excess.
Coat a rubber spatula with butter, then pour whipped mixture into prepared baking dish using the coated spatula to scrape mixture out. Spread mixture into an even layer in baking dish using butter coated spatula. Sprinkle top lightly and evenly with powdered sugar mixture, reserving remaining sugar mixture. Allow marshmallows to rest uncovered at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Turn the set marshmallows out onto a cutting board (you will likely have to run something around the edges and slightly along the bottom help the marshmallows drop) and cut marshmallows into squares using a pizza wheel dusted with powdered sugar mixture (I cut mine into 8 rows then each row into 4 because I wanted them tall for dipping but you could cut more than that if you want).
Place cut marshmallows in powdered sugar mixture and turn to coat all sticky sides, dusting off excess (dust them off well if dipping/spreading with chocolate or it wont stick well). Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Peppermint Bark Marshmallows

Spread a sheet of wax or parchment paper on counter (this is where dipped marshmallows will set). Melt chocolate in microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spread a layer of melted chocolate over bottom half of marshmallow (or dip in chocolate), then dip chocolate coated portion in crushed peppermint then place coated marshmallow chocolate coated side down on wax paper.
Insert a lollipop stick through the top and center of each marshmallow (if using), then let rest at room temperature until chocolate has set, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe Source: Marshmallow recipe adapted from Alton Brown via Food Network (non-peppermint version)

*If you are making them to dip in hot cocoa I would recommend the full 1 tsp, if you are making them just to eat on their own I may go with 1/2 tsp. You can add 1/2 tsp first then taste a bit and if you want a stronger peppermint flavor add another 1/2 tsp.

Dessert

American

Homemade Marshmallows

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

Jaclyn — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:02:00 +0000

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes - the perfect holiday treat! These are deliciously chocolatey and you'll love the flavor pairing with peppermint.

I am so excited, I have finally come up my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe! I’ve tried so many chocolate cupcake recipes before and have never really found one I fully love. They are too dense, too dry, too oily, or they have too much cocoa.

So, I decided to create my own recipe. I love this chocolate cupcake. I also love that these cupcakes are so fluffy and pretty, you take them out of the oven and they don’t sink down and flatten. They hold their pretty, rounded top shape.

Another great thing about these is the simplicity of this chocolate cupcake. You don’t have to melt chocolate or boil water. You simply combine all the dry ingredients then add in the rest. Bonus, it’s made from basic ingredients you probably always have on hand which is nice.

Of course if you are using this recipe for a basic chocolate cupcake (non-peppermint version) simply omit the peppermint extract and increase the vanilla to 1 tsp then top with your favorite frosting.

I love the combination of flavors in this peppermint chocolate cupcake version. You get a peppermint chocolate cupcake, topped with milk chocolate ganache, piped with peppermint cream cheese frosting and it’s finished off with a sprinkling of crushed candy canes. I wanted to eat every last one =).

If you are totally against cream cheese frosting you could also use a buttercream frosting in its place and it would be delicious as well. When I was creating this recipe I was trying to decide between the two, cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting. I decided to go with the cream cheese because I wanted this to be a decadent, show stopping cupcake.

Cream cheese adds more decadence than the basic buttercream frosting would, also it adds another flavor that blends so perfectly with the chocolate and peppermint. I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as I do =). Have a very Merry Christmas!

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

The perfect holiday treat! These are deliciously chocolatey and you'll love the flavor pairing with peppermint.

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp peppermint extract
1/3 cup hot water
¼ cup sour cream
1 recipe Milk Chocolate Ganache (, recipe follows)
1 recipe Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting (, recipe follows)
½ cup crushed peppermint candy canes
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
3 Tbsp heavy cream

For the Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

6 Tbsp salted butter (, softened)
6 oz . cream cheese (, softened)
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp peppermint extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in vegetable oil, milk, egg, vanilla extract and peppermint extract and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Stir in hot water, stir until well combined. Add in sour cream and mix until well blended. Fill paper lined muffin cups ¾ full and bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 17 – 19 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes in muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Once cupcakes are cool, spread about 1 teaspoon cooled milk chocolate ganache over each cupcake. Place cupcakes in a 13x9 inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill about 10 mintues while you make the peppermint cream cheese frosting.
Pipe each chocolate ganache covered cupcake with peppermint cream cheese frosting and sprinkle cupcakes with crushed candy canes.

For the Milk Chocolate Ganache

Combine milk chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave mixture on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Cool mixture in refrigerator for about 10 minutes (basically until it’s a spreadable not so drippy consistency).

For the Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extract. Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until well combined and fluffy.

Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

Jaclyn — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:32:00 +0000

Put an exciting festive twist on a favorite classic with these Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats. They are one of my favorite treats! I think they may even be the treat I give to neighbors this holiday season. Think peppermint bark combine with chewy Rice Krispie treats and what to you get, these! Just to forewarn you, you'll have a hard time eating just one =). PS did I mention these treats are quick and so easy!

Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

1/4 cup salted butter
1 (10.5 oz) package miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 3/4 cups white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Butter a 13" x9" baking dish, set aside. Melt butter over low heat in a large non-stick saucepan (I like to swirl the butter up along the edges of the pan to keep the marshmallows from sticking too much, just a tip =). Add marshmallows and stir constantly, until all of the marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Gently fold in Rice Krispies cereal until mixture is evenly coated. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish, and with a greased spatula evenly spread and gently press mixture into pan, set aside. Melt white chocolate or milk chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth, stirring after each interval. Evenly spread melted chocolate over Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Cover dish with plastic wrap and allow chocolate to harden in refrigerator about 30 minutes before cutting into squares.