Cookies for Santa – Chewy Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Every year we leave Santa a plateful of cookies and some carrots for his reindeer. And every year there is at least 1 or 2 cookies missing from the plate on Christmas morning. Do you think Santa gets tired of eating the same cut out sugar cookies he’s had at the Arch house for the past 16 years or does he look forward to them? I have to ask, because this year, I want to leave Santa a plateful of these – Chewy Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies.
This recipe has been in my recipe box for years. I don’t make them very often and I’m beginning to wonder why? Actually, I know why. It’s because they are gone faster than you can say “Chewy Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies” 3 times in a row without messing up. Yes, they are that good. So if I made them more often, I think the awesomeness of these cookies wouldn’t be there.
It all starts with a chocolate cake mix. Can’t get much simpler than that. Just add butter, vanilla, eggs and some Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (these make this recipe). If you don’t like peppermint, the original recipe calls for semisweet chocolate chips and they are just as good. We are not a nut in our cookie family, but if you are, knock yourself out and add some of those too.
A key point to this recipe is to not over bake the cookie. When baked just right, they are delectable and chewy and make for the perfect combination you want in any cookie. If you under bake them, they won’t hold together. If you over bake them, they become very good hockey pucks. Take my word for it.
So when Santa arrives at our house this year and after he’s unloaded his gifts, I’m hoping he will be pleasantly surprised to see a different type of cookie waiting for him. That is, if there are any left by the time he gets here.
Print RecipeChewy Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Yield: 5 dozen small cookies, 2 1/2 dozen large cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 - 12 minutes
Total Time: 25 - 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 devil’s food cake mix
½ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat half of the dry cake mix, the butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth. It is important that you only put in half the cake mix right away. If you don’t, it will be much harder to combine the rest of the ingredients.
3. Stir in remaining cake mix, baking chips and nuts if you desire.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet either lined with parchment paper or a nonstick mat.
5. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until edges are set (the centers will be soft).
6. Cool for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker - I found it on the back of a Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix box
Wife, mom, business owner, volunteer, lover of chocolate, procrastinator of cleaning, experiencing life in my 40’s and not putting off to tomorrow what I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I stop lookin’ and get cookin’ in all areas of life.
LOVE your blog! I can’t wait to try these cookies!!
Kendra replied: — December 6th, 2011 @ 4:45 pm
Thanks Jody – let me know how you like them!
I’m sad to say, Santa gets whatever I can grab at the grocery store. But Santa never seems to mind. The old goat gobbles them up, anyway. 😛
Kendra replied: — December 6th, 2011 @ 4:46 pm
If Santa likes what you get him – no complaints from me even if they are store bought!
Just found your blog through Dessert Stalking. I want to make these cookies but am a little hesitant since I tried a cake mix cookie recipe from another blog this week and the dough was too dry. When you made the cookie was the dough dry and crumbly? Her recipe only used one egg and no vanilla extract. It obviously needed more liquid.
The cookies do look great and I just happen to have a bag of the Andes Peppermints!
Kendra replied: — December 9th, 2011 @ 1:26 pm
Hi Joan,
Thanks for finding me. This dough was not dry. It was a thicker dough but moist. I did use a “moist” cake mix. Pillsbury and Betty Crocker both have those and I think some store brands have them as well. It may also make a difference if you use butter or margarine. I only use butter when baking so that may help as well. Try these tips and let me know if you make them. They are worth the try! And you have the Andes Peppermint! Yeah!
I am happy to say they turned out & are yummy!!! Will definetly add to my yearly baking list they are so EASY to make!!!
Kendra replied: — December 10th, 2011 @ 9:09 pm
So glad they turned out for you!
The cookies are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! This recipe is a keeper. My next thought was adding other candies besides peppermint andes. Or add peppermint andes to brownies. Mmmmm
Kendra replied: — December 11th, 2011 @ 6:51 pm
So glad they turned out Joan! You can substitute the peppermint with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or anything you like with chocolate. The Andes sound really good for the brownies. Just may have to try that!
We really enjoyed making these cookies this weekend. We used a german chocolate cake mix and they were delicious. We will be making these again this week when we host a team meal.
Thank you for a new idea
This morning I thought about using a white cake mix!!! Might give that a whirl today.