Gallery • 3 Photos

Brooklyn Norrell

These peppermint pretzels brings a salty taste to the sweetness of peppermint and chocolate.

This holiday season, families are baking and preparing for gatherings family and friends.  Well, baking doesn’t have to be sweet.  So here are a few minty fresh recipes to allow for a mixture of the sweetness of baked goods and the mintiness of peppermint.

Peppermint Pretzels

Ingredients

• Hershey’s Peppermint Kisses
• Snap Pretzels
• Holiday M&M’s

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Take a pan with edges and line flat with pretzels.
3. Put one Hershey’s Kiss on top of each pretzel.
4. Place in the oven for 4 minutes or until melted.
5. Remove from oven and immediately place M&M’s on the tops of the Hershey’s Kiss.
6. For quicker cooling place flatly in the freezer for 5-7 minutes or until chocolate has hardened then remove from pan and keep in air-tight container.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup crushed peppermint or spearmint candies, divided
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup crushed candies. Repeat with chocolate chips and an additional 1/3 cup candies. Alternately drop spoonfuls of chocolate and white chocolate mixtures onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
2. Using a metal spatula, cut through candy to swirl and spread to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies.
3. Refrigerate until firm. Break into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container. Yield: about 1 pound.

Peppermint Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) food coloring, optional
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2-1/2 cups cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

FROSTING:

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup crushed peppermint candies
• 31 peppermint candies

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream, food coloring and vinegar. Combine the flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
2. Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
3. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until combined. Beat in extract. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Press crushed candies on top and sides of cake. Arrange whole candies around bottom of cake.