Fudge Mint Morsel Cookies

Cookie exchanges are one of my FAVORITE holiday traditions.  So much food love in one place. When we lived in Iowa, I had some dear friends who hosted a BIG cookie exchange each Christmas season. Their goal was for at least 12 to participate, and everyone brought 12 dozen cookies. So each guest would leave with a dozen each of 12 different kinds of cookies. As a cookie lover, this was the peak of sweet foodie fun for me! 

This year I am taking one of my tried and true treats to a friend's cookie exchange. These used to be called "Bunco Cookies," because I brought them several times to a Bunco group I was in for a few years. I would use chocolate-white chocolate striped chips in and on top of them and they were DIVINE. But those chips are hard to find, so I recently pulled the recipe back out and put regular chocolate chips in the dough, and melted an Andes mint on top when I pulled them out of the oven. WOW! Instant love. 

So whether you are making cookies for a gift exchange, a party, Bunco, or to enjoy with your family, these will be a surefire hit!  Soft, fudgey cookies with lightly crisped edges and a coating of minty chocolate on top.

Fudge Mint Morsel Cookies

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 1/4 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat work)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cup chocolate chips

48 Andes Mints, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment, silpat or cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

3. Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet mix.  Stir in chocolate chips. 

4. Drop by heaping, rounded teaspoons (I use a 1/2 oz cookies scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 7-8  minutes--no longer. Cookies will be soft when you pull them out.

5. Place 1 Andes mint onto each cookie within 1 minute of pulling them out of the oven. Let them sit 2-3 minutes, then spread the melted Andes with the back of a spoon using a small circular motion. Carefully remove to cool and allow topping to set.  Store in an air-tight container. 

Participating in these link-ups.

Chocolate Coconut Pie

Next week is a monumental day and time in history. March 15, 2014 at 9:26:53 am, will represent the closest time has come to mirroring the important mathematical figure of Pi.  (Find a fun countdown here.)

As a geek at heart, I am celebrating by sharing pie recipes! This Chocolate Coconut Pie would make anyone--mathematician or not--as happy as a hypotenuse! It was gobbled up by my family faster than you can say dodecahedron! 

You know they old saying: "As easy as pie?'  This pie really lives up to it. No fancy tools or advanced algebra required.  All you need is the ingredients, a bowl, and spoon to prepare this for baking. 

Rich chocolate and coconut are deliciously combined in this perfect way to celebrate Pi(e) Day!

Chocolate Coconut Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients: 

1 unbaked pie crust (I love this Coconut Oil crust from Yesterfood)

1 stick (1/2 cup) salted sweet-cream butter

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup shredded flake baking coconut

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Prepare pie crust and place in freezer until filling is ready.

2. Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Stir in cocoa powder and sugar. Cook on low just until well incorporated (no need to boil). Remove from heat, and cool until able to touch.

3. Using a spoon, stir eggs well one at at time into the chocolate mix. Stir in flour and vanilla, then the coconut. 

4. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in center of oven 40-50 minutes, until top is crusted and middle has risen. 

5. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator. 

Participating in these link-ups. 

More great ways to celebrate The Ultimate Pi(e) Day: 

Strawberry Cream Pie

New Fashioned Oatmeal Pie