My New Favorite Christmas Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it's my new favorite Christmas cookie - seriously, I don't know how many I've eaten, they're so good!  That is as long as you like peppermint and chocolate. :)  These would make great little Valentine's treats too!

Here's the link to the original recipe.
http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/12/oreo-peppermint-crunch-cookies/

Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies

1 box white cake mix

1 stick butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup Oreo cookie chunks

1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts.  Beat until a soft dough forms. Add the cream cheese and beat in gently until combined.  Stir in peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips first.  Then gently stir in the cookie pieces by hand being careful not to break up the cookie more.  Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.

2. Roll the dough into balls.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Do not over bake.  The cookies will be very soft and look undone.  Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them to cool.  Store in a sealed container.

My tips:  

-You will want to bake them longer than 9-10 minutes, but don't!

-Don't crush the Oreos up too much - you might feel the need to really crush them, but I made a couple batches and I liked them better with bigger Oreo chunks in them.

-I always make cookies on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  When its time to take them off the cookie sheet, just slide the parchment paper onto the counter, no need to mess with warm cookies and a spatula!

-I had never seen Andes peppermint crunch candy, but I found them in our local grocery store by the holiday candy/baking supplies.  They came as little bars, just like the regular Andes chocolate mint candies, and one package was perfect for 1 batch.  

But it was after making 4 batches and needing to unwrap every candy and crunch them all up that I found a bag of already crushed bits at Target in the baking section!  So check around!