As I promised during my Christmas Home Tour, today I will share my most favorite Christmas cookie recipe E.V.E.R.

I’ve been trying to remember exactly when I discovered this recipe. I think it was 5 years ago when my parents gave me a magazine for Christmas entitled “Taste of Home’s Best Loved Cookies and Bars.” With a title like that, how can you go wrong?

Anyway, these little cookies caught my eye. I love the chocolate + mint combination. Come to think of it, I love pretty much anything when it’s combine with chocolate. Take these Cappuccino Chip muffins, for example. Coffee + Chocolate? Yes, please. That’s the reason I loved these Mocha Brownies so much. And who can forget the Brownie-Cookie Bars that can be made with 2 box mixes? Perfect.

I could go on. Most of my dessert recipes involve chocolate of some sort. But today is a day to share a new recipe. And so I shall.

But first, I will say … the lady who submitted this recipe to Taste of Home mentioned that she could eat these “shortbread-like treats by the dozen.” I remember I was so grossed out when I read that…thinking of some lady stuffing her mouth with dozens of cookies. I shall now confess: I have become that lady.

Okay, maybe not that bad. But honey, these cookies are that good. If you like chocolate & mint, get ready for an amazing treat. Then come back and tell me that you are joining me in my plight. And you wonder why I run?

Chocolate Mint Dreams
a Taste of Home recipe
makes 2 dozen (the original recipe says it yields 4 dozen. They must have been making extremely tiny cookies, though, because I’ve always ended up with about 2 dozen. But maybe that’s because I eat 2 dozen before I finish counting them.)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

ICING:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 to 2 drops green food coloring
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

DRIZZLE:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon shortening

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate and extract. Gradually add flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. (Dough will be soft.)
• Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. (I recommend rolling them into balls and flattening slightly in order to achieve a prettier result. Otherwise they will look like small mountains.) Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, extract, food coloring and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; spread over cooled cookies. Let set. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.