Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

If you can't tell by the name of my blog, I am OBSESSED with anything peppermint. Every year I wait for Trader Joe's to sell Candy Cane Joe Joe cookies, and I buy multiple boxes. This recipe is close to a recreation of those chocolately cookies with peppermint goodness, so I thought I would share! This recipe is from Delicious Living Magazine, and calls for frozen yogurt, but could easily be swapped out with mint chocolate chip or mocha ice cream/gelato, or even a creamy filling!

I love this time of year because it makes my year-round peppermint obsession seem normal :D.

Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Yield: 12

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (gluten-free options such as oat flour or a gluten-free AP flour can be substituted) 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup natural cane sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 pint fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt (or ice cream of choice) 1/2 cup crushed all-natural peppermint candies, divided 1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, blend sugars and butter until fluffy. Add applesauce, vanilla extract, and egg. Once thoroughly combined, blend in flour mixture. Transfer dough to one end of a large sheet of waxed paper. Fold paper over dough; wrap completely, rolling dough into a 12-inch log. Freeze for 1–2 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Unwrap dough and slice crosswise into 24 cookies. Bake 12 at a time for 10–12 minutes until firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. 3. While cookies are cooling, remove frozen yogurt from freezer to soften. Stir in 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies. Place remaining 1/4 cup crushed candies in a shallow dish. Place 1–2 tablespoons frozen yogurt on the flat side of one cookie. Place another cookie (flat side down) on top and gently push together. Roll edges lightly in crushed candies. Repeat with remaining cookies. Wrap sandwiches individually in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 2–4 hours. PER SERVING (1 sandwich): 195 cal, 23% fat cal, 5g fat, 3g sat fat, 28mg chol, 3g protein, 36g carb, 3g fiber, 57mg sodium