Ingredients
Scale
For the peppermint dough
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 20 drops of red food coloring (Pretty! But optional)
- ¼ cup peppermint crunch (store-bought or can use crushed candy canes)
For the chocolate dough
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the peppermint dough – Cream butter and sugar together in mixer until smooth. Mix in egg and peppermint extract. Add food coloring. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and peppermint crunch. With the mixer running on low speed, add flour mixture to the mixing bowl, about a cup at a time, creating a smooth and somewhat stiff dough. Separate the dough into four equal parts, press each one into a rectangle about 4×6 inch. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
- Wash out mixing bowl and paddles before making second dough.
- Make the chocolate dough – Cream butter and sugar together in mixer until smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. With the mixer running on low speed, add flour/cocoa mixture to the mixing bowl, about a cup at a time, creating a smooth and somewhat stiff dough. Separate the dough into four equal parts, press each one into a rectangle about 4×6 inch. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
- Let the wrapped rectangles of dough chill for one hour, or up to overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with baking parchment.
- Remove 2 peppermint and 2 chocolate dough portions from the refrigerator. Roll each portion into a 6×8 rectangle. (Roll doughs out on baking parchment to prevent sticking, sprinkle parchment with flour for peppermint dough, and with cocoa for chocolate dough.)
- Stack the four, rolled dough rectangles on top of each other as neatly as possible, alternating flavors. Roll the stacked doughs out another half inch or so on each side, pressing the doughs together. (The stack measure should measure about 1 inch in height.)
- Trim the sides to create clean, neat edges. Make half inch slices along the long edge of the dough — 15 slices total). Make 1.5 inch slices along the short edge of the dough — 3 slices total.
- Roll out the remaining dough, repeating steps 5-7, creating approximately 120 cookies total.
- Working in batches, place unbaked cookie slices onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about half an inch between. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.
- Extra cookies can be store in the freezer in a covered, airtight container, for a up to 3 months.