Peppermint & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

by Erin

Chocolate and peanut butter. Chocolate and peppermint. Why not combine these tasty duos into one trio? Dark chocolate peanut butter cookies with crushed peppermint candy cane on top.

Peppermint & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies 1
Are you familiar with the Christmas car costumes that appear this time of year? The reindeer antlers and nose or the elf ears and hat? Do you think they are ridiculous? If so, then I think you are zero fun. My friend Suzanne and I have been on the hunt for the reindeer get-up for years, ever since we first laid eyes on it. Unfortunately it proved to be nearly impossible to find as it was sold out in every store we checked year after year. We did find it online but that felt like cheating. Well guess what? While at Walgreens on a totally different mad hunt (searching for chalk – who knew chalk would be such a hard thing to find), I walked right past a display full of the reindeer costumes. Done and done. My car is adorable and I don’t care what anyone says.And then like an idiot, I rolled down my window while driving (had to get rid of a bug) and one of the antlers flew off. Thankfully I was able to turn around and retrieve it.

Peppermint & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies 3

Along with silly car costumes, another thing that appears around Christmas-time is a plethora of candy canes. Like it or not you will somehow end up with at least one in your possession. To help you find purpose for all those minty holiday treats (or fruity if you’re lucky enough to get a fancy one), PB&Co has challenged a group of bloggers to come up with #CandyCaneHacks aka solutions to excessive candy canes. So I did the first logical thing that came to mind – smash to bits and sprinkle on top of cookies. Using a trusty 4-ingredient flourless peanut butter cookie recipe, I made dark chocolate peanut butter thumbprint cookies filled with more dark chocolate dreams peanut butter and topped with crushed peppermint candy cane. Want more peppermint flavor? Add peppermint extract instead of vanilla to the cookie dough.

Want to get your hands on some of Peanut Butter & Co’s peanut butter? Use the Rafflecopter widget located at the bottom of this post and enter to win 2 jars of your choosing. Can’t wait? Use the code ” YUMSQUADLOVE” and receive 25% off their online store for the month of December. And follow #CandyCaneHacks for ideas on how to pair candy canes with your favorite peanut butter.

Peppermint & Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies 2

One year ago: Chicken and Pesto Stuffed Shells

Two years ago: Sugar Cookie Spoons for Hot Cocoa

Four years ago: Blueberry-Almond Turtles

PEPPERMINT & DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Makes 2 dozen small cookies

Ingredients:

COOKIES

1 cup PB&Co’s Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp peppermint extract (or vanilla extract)

TOPPING

1/4 cup PB&Co’s Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter

1 regular peppermint candy cane, crushed

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  2. In large bowl, blend peanut butter with sugar, egg and extract until combined. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheet (I used a small cookie scoop). Bake 10 minutes, until cookies have slightly flattened and are not shiny. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.
  3. Press thumb into the center of the warm cookie or use the back of a utensil to create an indentation. Spoon in 1/2 teaspoon nutella into hole and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. Serve.

Source: Adapted from Salted Nutella Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies.

Disclosure: Peanut Butter & Co provided complimentary product to create any recipe of my choosing and is sponsoring this giveaway. I was not otherwise compensated. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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23 comments

Annette December 16, 2014 - 11:31 pm

I like to crush up candy canes and use them to make peppermint bark with melted white chocolate candy wafers.

Reply
Sophia December 16, 2014 - 12:43 pm

Using it as a stirrer for coffee or hot cocoa.

Reply
Alexi December 15, 2014 - 10:28 pm

I like to attach a candy cane to a gift along with a to/from sign

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Rachael December 15, 2014 - 9:04 pm

making candy sleighs

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Linda F December 15, 2014 - 8:33 pm

Crush candy canes and sprinkle on the top of a cheesecake.

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Kayle (The Cooking Actress) December 15, 2014 - 6:31 pm

OMIGOSH-this is one pb/peppermint combo I can get with. dark chocolate dreams is my faaaave! and I’ve never seen acar costume before-how fun!

Reply
Kelli's Kitchen December 15, 2014 - 6:24 pm

I like making dishes and serving plates with all my goodies on it!

Reply
Sarah December 15, 2014 - 6:06 pm

Using two candy canes and a bar of chocolate into a sleigh!!

Reply
David December 15, 2014 - 3:14 pm

I like to use a candy cane to stir hot chocolate.

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Julie M December 15, 2014 - 1:54 pm

I love using crushed up candy canes for peppermint bark! Yum!

Reply
tara pittman December 15, 2014 - 1:52 pm

I like using a candy cane for a stir thing in hot chocolate

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Suzanne December 15, 2014 - 1:28 pm

candy canes in hot cocoa

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cheryl December 15, 2014 - 1:09 pm

crushing them up to put in the treats i make

Reply
Kaylin@EnticingHealthyEating December 15, 2014 - 12:57 pm

I like crushing up candy canes to use in making peppermint bark.

Reply
Toni B December 15, 2014 - 12:27 pm

I’ve seen some beautiful snowflakes made with candy canes!

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Michelle M December 15, 2014 - 12:18 pm

No candy cane hack I can think of but these look amazing! We love candycanes!

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Judith December 15, 2014 - 12:11 pm

I love using them to stir my hot chocolate!

Reply
Stanley December 15, 2014 - 12:05 pm

We always attach candy canes to our cards.

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Allicia December 13, 2014 - 11:51 pm

I like using candy canes to attach to presents.

Reply
Dandi D December 11, 2014 - 7:06 pm

My mother-in-law recently made a wreath out of candy canes that looks really neat!

Reply
Heather December 10, 2014 - 10:47 pm

I’m not sure I have a #CandyCaneHacks, but your cookies look awesome! I do like using candy canes in my whoopie pies!

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Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) December 10, 2014 - 8:45 am

Those christmas car costumes sound like a hoot. I have actually never seen them but I am so glad you don’t take things too seriously. They sound so fun! And these cookies are amazing!

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Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar December 10, 2014 - 8:21 am

I’ve never seen a Christmas car costume before, but they sound hilarious!! I have seen eyelashes on Volkswagen beetle headlights before though…if you get a fancy Christmas get-up you NEED to post it! So funny.

Oh, and these cookies sound like the perfect treat for the holidays. A chocolate thumbprint is one I am alllll over!

Reply

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