I decided this year to replace a small amount of the flour in my regular shortbread cookie recipe with a small amount of cocoa and add some rough chopped mint flavored baking chips for one of the cookies I included in my Christmas goodie packages for the kids. And the result was very favorably received. And to think that a cookie so very easy to prepare could end up so amazingly mouthwatering. Absolutely boggles my mind! Crunchy, buttery, chocolaty, and full of that delicious minty goodness that we all crave especially at Christmas time. In other words – YUM!

So if you are looking for the perfect cookie to include in packages for your family and friends, this is the recipe for you. Even if you have no intention of sharing your cookies with anyone else, these are still the cookies for you! These little darlings are easy to pack and stay fresh and crunchy for days. What more could you ask from 7 little ingredients? Merry Christmas to all, and to all – happy baking!

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt  

1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ c. cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder that I get at Cash &Carry)

1 c. chopped mint flavored baking chips (I use Guittard)

With an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and chopped mint chips. With your mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until dough is combined.

Using your smallest ice cream scoop, drop small balls of dough about 1-inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. (If you don’t have a small ice cream scoop, roll the dough with your hands into 1-inch balls.)

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until small cracks appear on the surface of each cookie, 15 to 18 minutes. (Do not under-bake.)

Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.