Mint White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 220 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp red gel food coloring
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 and 1/4 tbsp. white chocolate granules
• 1/3 cup red Candy Melts
• 1/3 cup crushed red and white peppermint candies

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, then add the food coloring, vanilla, and mint extracts, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the flour mixture in two additions.
3. Place the dough into the baking pan, pressing it into a flat, even layer with your hands. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.
4. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, spread the white chocolate chips on top in a single layer. Let them sit for 2 minutes to soften, then spread them into a thin layer. Place the red melts in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted.
5. Transfer the icing to a small zip-lock bag and snip off the corner. Pipe red diagonal stripes on top of the white chocolate. Sprinkle with peppermint candies. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely.
6. If the white chocolate is still soft, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens. Pull the foil back and remove the cookies from the sheet. Cut into pieces.