Gooey Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle Brownie Cups

There are many times when I am inspired to make a dessert based on someone’s passing remark. A couple of weeks ago, Jennifer Reed, pastry chef extraordinaire of the sugar monkey, gave me a giant wedge of a brownie. At the time I was talking about my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles and Jennifer suggested putting the truffle into the brownie.

Too late for that day, because I had finished the brownie, but I have not been able to get the thought of this combination out of my mind. Since my last blog was about Peppermint Crunch Cookie Dough Truffles, it won’t be too difficult to figure out what I did next.

I decided that my Gooey Brownie Cups would be perfect for placing one of the Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffles. The brownie cups are, probably, the easiest recipe I have ever created and with the holiday season always being so hectic, easy is essential.

After the brownie cups are removed from the oven and have sat on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, place one truffle right into the middle of each brownie cup. Gently push the truffle in just far enough so that it doesn’t fall off. The end result is a Gooey Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle Brownie Cups that you will probably have a hard time sharing.

The Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips are sometimes challenging to find. I have had tremendous success at Walmart and found out that Publix has them in stock when the outside vendor supplies the chips to the store; problem is they are not restocked enough. Online is also a way to go, but that is a much more expensive route.

If you still have trouble locating the baking chips, make a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles instead. I find the peppermint very refreshing and the red and white colors so perfect for this time of year. However, the chocolate chip truffles are fabulous as well and at least you won’t have to wait a year until the peppermint chips come back into the stores.

Gooey Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle Brownie Cups

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Betsy Cohen

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 18 mins

Total time: 1 hour 18 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffles:
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1¼ cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
Gooey Brownie Cups:
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1¼ cups chocolate chips

Instructions

For the peppermint cookie dough truffles:
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper and set side.
Place butter and sugar into large mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes, scraping bowl down as needed. Add flour. Blend in Andes chips.
Use a 1½ teaspoon cookie dough scoop to measure and shape truffles. Place scoops onto parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip truffle balls, one at a time, into melted chocolate and place onto clean parchment paper. Once all truffles are dipped, return truffles to freezer to set.
For the gooey brownie cups:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Set aside a 12-cup muffin pan.
Place the butter, brown sugar and sugar into a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave until the mixture is completely melted and bubbly. Be sure to use oven mitts when removing from the microwave as the bowl will be very hot.
Whisk to blend the ingredients together. Whisk in vanilla, then the flour and salt.
Continuously whisk the mixture while adding the eggs, to prevent cooking the eggs.
Lastly, use a wooden spoon to mix in the chocolate chips. Most will melt, but you will have some that still hold their shape.
Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Use a large cookie dough scoop or a gravy ladle to evenly transfer the batter to the muffin cups.
Bake at 350°, on a rack in the middle of the oven, for 18 minutes.
Remove and cool for 5 minutes. Place one frozen Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle into the middle of each brownie cup. Cool completely in pan.
Use a small metal spatula to go around the edges of the Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle Brownie Cups. Remove from the pan and serve.
Betsy's tidbits:
The Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle recipe yields 44 truffles. This is done intentionally because the truffles are delicious on their own. Store the 32 that are not used for the brownie cups in the freezer.
Gooey Peppermint Cookie Dough Truffle Brownie Cups are delicious served warm, room temperature and/or cold.