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I just made the easiest Christmas cookies EVER!!

I have to take a Christmas treat to cub scout pack meeting tonight.  I REALLY didn’t feel like going through a big baking session.  So, I came up with this quick and very tasty little cookie to take!  These would be GREAT to take to a Christmas Cookie Swap Party.  You can make a lot of them very quickly and inexpensively! 

Here’s how to make them:

Step 1. Melt your chocolate chips. I have a Wilton Chocolate Melter pot. I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself one. Use a 40% or 50% off coupon at Michael’s or JoAnn and you can get one for around $10. Its very handy and makes my life so much easier whenever I need to melt chocolate for dipping. No double boiler or microwave, both of which can scorch the chocolate and ruin the whole thing. If you don’t have one, you can melt it the old fashioned way in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds just until melted.  If your chocolate seems too thick to drizzle, add 1-2 tsps vegetable oil.

Step 2.  While your chocolate is melting, lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on your half sheet pan.  Lay out your Ritz crackers as closely as possible, like so. Easy, right???

Step 3.  Add your peppermint extract to your melted chocolate.  I used 1 cap full, which I think is about 1/2 tsp.  Stir well.

Step 4.  Load your melted peppermint chocolate into a zipper freezer bag.  Use a freezer one because they are thicker and won’t rip apart at the seams.  Make it easy on yourself but putting the bag with one corner down into a glass.  Then just pour the chocolate in, using a rubber spatula to get it all!

Step 5. Drizzle chocolate over all your Ritz.  You can do this systematically and beautifully in two opposite directions, or just go crazy like I did.  Use ALL the chocolate!  You want a good layer on these babies.  This would be a great step for your kids to do!  They could also lay out the crackers. 

Step 6.  Use a meat mallet (love that thing!) to pound your candy cane into a powder inside a freezer bag.  I did mine quite fine because I dislike biting into chunks of peppermint candy but if you like that then, by all means, don’t pound it so fine.

Step 7.  Sprinkle peppermint over your cookies.  Another good way for kids to help!

Step 8.  Chill in refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

Step 9.  Carefully break cookies apart and enjoy!

 

 

 

Thin Mint Cookies

Ingredients:

• Ritz crackers (I used 1.5 sleeves for 1 sheet pan)
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (or try with dark or milk or even white)
• Peppermint extract
• Candy Cane or peppermint candies, crushed

Directions:

Place about 2 cups of chocolate chips in a candy melter or melt in microwave.  Thin slightly with 1-2 tsps vegetable oil.  Add 1 cap full (about 1/2 tsp) peppermint extract.  Stir well.  Place chocolate in zipper freezer bag.  Snip corner and drizzle all over crackers until chocolate is gone.  Sprinkle with crushed candy cane or peppermint candies.  Chill until chocolate is hard.  Enjoy!