Chocolate Chip Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies - The Foodie Days of Christmas

Chocolate and peppermint go hand-in-hand with the Christmas season like stockings hung by the fire and twinkling lights on the Christmas tree. Between peppermint bark, peppermint hot cocoa, and chocolate covered peppermint cremes this flavor combination is on everyone's list of favorite holiday treats. And I love it! Smooth, rich chocolate and cool, refreshing peppermint. The combination evokes both the comforting richness of holiday foods as well as the fresh, crisp winter air. These cookies offer a great balance of tantalizing flavor to platters of gingerbread men and sugar cookie stars.

In keeping with the foodie days of Christmas this recipe makes plenty to share with friends and family. Package them in pretty tins between layers of wax paper. Along with a tin of cocoa tied with a candy cane these will make a delightful gift for loved ones. If you're just making these to enjoy at home either cut the recipe in half or keep half the dough in the freezer for another time.

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Pinwheels ~ makes about 8 dozen
For chocolate dough
2.5 cups AP flour, sifted
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3.5 oz dark chocolate, melted
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup cocoapowder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
large pinch salt

For peppermint dough
2.5 cups AP flour, sifted
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3.5 oz white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup crushed peppermints (or candy canes)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
large pinch salt

For each dough: beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, melted chocolate and flavoring (vanilla or peppermint as indicated). Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients in batches. Combine until dough is homogeneous and add mix-ins (either crushed peppermints or mini chocolate chips). Stir until dough comes together in a mass. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll - about half an hour.

Roll out dough and lay peppermint over chocolate. Roll up along longest side and cut roll in half. Wrap halves and refrigerate 30 more minutes. This will enable you to have a nice clean slice when cutting the cookies and help prevent the swirls from bleeding into each other.

Once dough is firm preheat oven to 350º F. Cut 1/4" slices and lay on baking sheets. Bake 10-13 minutes. Let cool a minute on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Check out all the Foodie Days of Christmas recipes and follow on Twitter with #foodieChristmas:
Orange-Cinnamon Candied Almonds
Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels
Fruit & Nut Bark
M&M Peppermint Bark - a Family Sunday Recipe
Apple Cranberry Walnut Bread
Sugar Cookies from Cooking Light
Gingerbread Snowflakes
Gingerbread Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting