Christmas Desserts with a Peppermint Twist

If you crave the peppermint taste of a candy cane especially around the holidays, you'll love these sweet treats with a peppermint twist.

Crushed Candy Cane Cookies

If you prefer your cookies chewy or crispy, these cookies can be adapted to your personal preferences.

1 c. packed brown sugar
¾ c. butter flavored shortening, such as Crisco
2 T. milk
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ c flour
1 t salt
¾ t baking soda
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat brown sugar, shortening, milk, and vanilla at medium speed until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed until just blended. Do not over mix. Crush candy canes by placing them in a plastic food bag and sealing then rolling a rolling pin over them. Stir in crushed candy with a wooden spoon.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes for a softer cookie or 11-13 minutes for a crispy cookie. Let cookies cool slightly on a baking sheet then move them to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container. Freeze for long term storage.

Peppermint Bark

I was surprised when I found out how simple it was to make this cool, retro candy.

1 cup crushed candy canes
2 pounds white chocolate

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and seal. Roll over the bag with a rolling pin until the candy canes are broken into small pieces, about ¼ inch or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. A double boiler can be created by placing a metal bowl over a boiling pot of water so the bottom is submerged. When the chocolate is melted stir in the peppermint pieces and pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Peppermint Cheesecake

This delicious cheesecake is simple to make and a sure fire crowd pleaser at any holiday party.

2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
½ c. sugar
½ t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup crushed candy canes, divided
1 graham cracker crust
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Add eggs and mix until blended. Stir in half of the crushed candy canes. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the graham cracker crust. Top with ¼ cup of the remaining mints. Bake 40 minutes until the center is almost set. Refrigerate several hours until completely cooled. Before serving, top with whipped cream and the remaining crushed mints.