‘Tis the season for abundant giving, sharing, and showing love. And, I’m showing you lovely readers how much I adore you by offering an over-the-top candy covered cookie recipe and a chance to win a gadget that will help you whip up some healthier treats!
In addition to the cookie recipe, today I’m giving away a handy appliance that I think every cook needs: an immersion blender. These terribly convenient little blenders are perfect for pureeing soups, making dips and salsas, smoothing out sauces… and so much more. They truly do make great gifts, so I’m giving one away to one lucky reader who’s name will be drawn randomly and announced January 3rd.
UPDATE! CONTEST NOW CLOSED! WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED JAN 3, 2013! Thanks, everyone!!
But, first the cookies (feel free to scroll past the recipe to get to the free stuff):
These sugar bombs are as tasty as they are festive. Be sure to roll the dough out (in between two sheets of parchment paper) as thin as possible to ensure a crisp, delicate cookie. A variation of these can easily be made by submerging the entire cookie sandwich in chocolate to coat–couverture works best for this application.
Double Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
yield: about 24 sandwich cookies (depending on cookie cutter size)
- 2/3 cup superfine brown rice flour
- 2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- Dash salt
- 1 cup cold dairy-free margarine
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground chia seed mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups prepared fluffy frosting, such as this one
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or disks
- 4 candy canes (any flavor) crushed
Preheat your oven to 350 °F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the superfine brown rice flour, cocoa powder, potato starch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and salt.
In a larger bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Mix in the prepared chia gel and then gradually incorporate the flours and mix well until a clumpy dough is formed.
Divide dough into 4 separate disks and chill until the dough is cold. Roll out one disk of dough about 1/8 inch thick in between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut out with circle shaped cookie cutters and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, leaning to the 10 minute mark if your cookies are 1/8 inch thick. If your cookies are thicker than 1/8 inch, then be sure to cook an additional minute or two or they won’t be as crispy.
Let cool completely and then pipe some white frosting on the inside of one cookie and sandwich together with another cookie. Press gently to distribute the frosting.
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler (no need to temper) and cover the tops of the sandwiches with a thin coating of chocolate. Sprinkle generously with the crushed candy canes. Let chocolate re-harden before serving.
And now the giveaway:
Up for grabs is this Immersion Blender by DeLonghi. It’s fast, furious, and versatile as heck, so if your kitchen is minus one of these, now’s your chance to get in on the blending fun! To enter, simply leave a comment here to let me know you’d like to be entered. Make sure when you fill in the comment form you provide a valid email address (in the appropriate field) so I can get a hold of you if you win!
Open to everyone. I will end the contest on January 2nd, 2013, and will announce the winner here the following day.
Best of luck! xoxo!
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Enter me! Silly me, was sure the cookies were coming with the giveaway :(
enter me! pick me… Would love one as I am too afraid to pour hot soups in blender, so theyr’e a little on the chunky side!
I’d love an immersion blender- so many silky soup recipes I see out there with my name on them. Your cookies are so pretty, and look rather yummy too!
I would love an immersion blender! Please add me! (And also, those cookies look amazing.)
I would love an immersion blender to replace my old crappy one. :)
Those cookies look fantastic! Slightly reminiscent of Trader Joe’s “Joe Joe’s,” but healthier!
And I’d love an immersion blender… soup-making would become so much easier! Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love a new immersion blender! My old one has taken a beating.
I’ve been wanting an immersion blender for ages but have never been able to justify buying one, so I would love to win one.
I’d like to participate of the Immersion Blender giveaway! Thank you!
I would love to be entered! I’ve been needing a new immersion blender to replace my broken one. :(
I would love to win the Immersion Blender – thank you!
I’m looking forward to making these! Now to find candy canes without artificial colors . . .
I saw some cute ones at Whole Foods the other day, Elizabeth! xo
the blender looks so sleek..it would be great replacing my 90s beige one!
I gave my immersion blender to my daughter and really miss it. I’d love to have one again.
I would love to win an immersion blender! Great giveaway, thank you!
I’d love to win this for my daughter!
I would love to win the immersion blender! I just moved here from Europe and was not able to take my kitchen stuff with me. It would be great for making creamy soups!
These look great, yet another treat i can win my non vegan family and friendsover with
I would like to enter! I especially covet the container attachment!
I would love to be entered in the giveaway contest. Also, thanks for all of the inspiration and recipes. Love it!
I have always wanted one of these! Your cookies look amazing – as your recipes always do!
I would love to win one of these!
One of these is on my list of things I need in my kitchen.
We’ve been making due since our immersion blender broke, but that sure would be nice. Please enter me!
I’d like to be entered. And what a bummer that the cookies don’t come with it ;)
Ahh!! I would love to win! :D
would love this!
Oh, I’d love to win this! Merry Christmas!
I don’t have an immersion blender, but would love one! I make tons of creamy veggie soups, and this would be really convenient.
I’d like to be entered for blender.
your recipes are always so delicious… thank you.
I would like to be entered. Thanks!
I would like to be entered in the contest! I cannot wait to make these little cookies for all my holiday functions in the coming week!
mmmm, silky smooth soups!
I use a stick blender every morning for my breakfast and it doesn’t have much life left. This would be awesome. The cookies look awesome too and I’ll be trying them soon. Thanks for the recipe!
I’d like to be entered!
i could go for one of those! please enter me :)
Those cookies look divine!!
I would love to be entered in the blender giveaway please :) My cheapie, old, beat up immersion blender just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore :)
I’d love to be entered! These cookies sound delicious!
I would love an immersion blender to make some fun soups!
I would love to add this to my kitchen :)
OOoooh! I have an ancient immersion blender that threatens to die on me daily. Would LOVE to replace it!
Pick me, pick me! I love kitchen tools and gadgets. The cookies look delicious too, I think mint and chocolate were meant for each other.
I cannot wait to make these for my most amazing foodie son! He will be sooo excited!
I’ve been thinking about getting an immersion blender for a while now, so I’d love to be entered. Thank you!
I second Colette, I’ve been wanting an immersion blender for quite some time and would love to be entered into the contest!
These cookies look fantastic! I can’t wait to try them!
DeLonghi products are awesome. I would love to win this immersion blender.
My kitchen is immersion blender deprived. I’d really love to be entered….thank you!
Somehow I’ve made it my whole life without an immersion blender despite really wanting one… I’d love to be entered!
I’d love to win the immersion blender!