By Lindsey Nguyen, Social Media Manager, & Tara Choe, Staff Writer
Get into the holiday spirit with these peppermint filled treats.
Peppermint Crunch Popcorn
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup unpopped popcorn
- 8 oz. white chocolate
- ¼ tsp. peppermint extract
- 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips
- ¼ cup assorted sprinkles (optional)
Instructions:
- Pop the popcorn according to package instructions.
- Melt the white chocolate in small increments.
- Spread the popcorn on parchment paper.
- Mix the melted chocolate into the popcorn.
- Continue to add broken pieces of Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips and sprinkles.
- Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
Peppermint Milkshakes
Ingredients:
- 3 cups frozen vanilla greek yogurt
- ½ tsp. peppermint extract
- 4 candy canes
- 1 cup almond milk
- Optional: whip cream
Steps:
- Blend the frozen greek yogurt with the almond milk and peppermint extract.
- Break off pieces of the candy cane and add into the mixture, blending in increments (add ice if needed).
- Top it off with whip cream and serve!
Peppermint Cheesecake
Ingredients:
- 22 Oreo cookies
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 tbsp. sugar (Crust)
- 16 oz. softened cream cheese
- 16 oz. heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar (Filling)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- Magenta food coloring
- Optional: sprinkles
Steps:
- Blend the Oreos in a food processor, adding the melted butter and sugar gradually.
- Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a round pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed. Set aside.
- Whip heavy cream and powder sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Mix the cream cheese mixture into whipped cream mixture and add the food coloring and peppermint extract into the mixture.
- Spread onto the pan and refrigerate again for five hours.
- Decorate to your liking with sprinkles, whipped cream, etc.!
Peppermint Bark
Ingredients:
- 18 oz. white chocolate
- 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 ½ tsp canola oil
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 3 crushed candy canes
Steps:
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Pour 6 oz. of white chocolate and ½ tsp. of canola oil in a separate bowl and microwave in 15 second intervals until melted. Stir the chocolate in between.
- Add ¼ tsp. of peppermint extract to the melted white chocolate and spread the melted chocolate evenly on the baking pan.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Repeat steps two through six with 6 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate.
- Repeat with additional consecutive layers of 6 oz of white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Do not add the peppermint extract.
- Repeat with a final layer of 6 oz. white chocolate, finishing it of with crushed candy canes.
