Christmas Cookie #9: Peppermint Cracker Candy

I came up with the idea for this recipe when I bought my first bottle of Starbucks Peppermint Syrup.

I really like the regular ol' hot chocolate at Starbucks. But, especially around the holidays, I love a splash of peppermint syrup in it. Hence, I bought my own bottle.

So, while I was making Pine Bark one day this fall, drinking a peppermint hot chocolate, I thought, "Now, wouldn't it be awesome to turn this fabuloso recipe into a peppermint version this Christmas."

And, that is how Peppermint Cracker Candy was born.

This recipe is a cross between candy and a cookie. It's very easy to make, and looks great on a platter. Because of the strong mint flavor from the candy canes, I used Ritz crackers in these instead of the saltines I normally use in my recipe for Pine Bark. The buttery flavor in Ritz balances out the peppermint perfectly.

We made both semi-sweet and white chocolate versions. I like the white chocolate best; Jason is partial to the semi-sweet. And, the boys were too tired after smashing all the candy canes with wooden spoons that they crashed while the cookies were cooling.

Our lesson: When you turn a candy cane upside down, it makes a "J" - like Jack. (This was Jack's idea for our lesson. And, I thought it was perfect. So, I left it at that. But, we'll also read "The Legend of the Candy Cane" when they wake up tomorrow.)

Peppermint Cracker Candy
my own recipe...

2 1/2 sleeves Ritz Crackers
1/2 pound butter, 2 sticks
3/4 cup sugar
6 ounces white chocolate
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
10 candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter in small saucepan and add sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes until mixture is thick and bubbly.

While sugar mixture is cooking, line jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray to coat with cooking spray. Place crackers salt side up on jelly roll pan, overlapping as needed to cover most of pan. Pour butter/sugar mixture over crackers and spread to coat evenly.

Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle 1/2 of pan with white chocolate chips and other half with semi-sweet chips . After chips have melted, spread to coat crackers evenly. Sprinkle evenly with crushed candy canes.

Refrigerate until hardened. To serve, remove from foil and break into pieces. Store in air tight containers.