Hey, cookie lovers!

The holiday season is here, and you know what that means—time to bake some special treats!

Today, I’m excited to share my festive recipe for Christmas cookies with Andes mints and candies.

These cookies are not only delicious, but they look amazing too!

Perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself).

Let’s get into the holiday spirit and whip up some sweet magic!

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but tasty)
1 1/4 cups chopped andes mints or andes mint baking chips
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk or nonfat milk (at room temperature, may need an extra 1-2 teaspoons)

Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

Fold in the Andes mints or baking chips to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until evenly combined.

Add the milk and whisk again until the milk is incorporated into the butter mixture, resulting in a smooth and thorough blend.

Scatter the flour mixture over the top of the wet ingredients.

Using a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula, stir by hand to combine.

Mix just until the flour disappears to avoid overworking the dough.

If the dough seems very dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk until it comes together.

The dough will become moist quicker than you might expect.

Clear space in your freezer and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

With a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls, forming balls about 1 1/2 inches across.

Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space around each one.

Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 24 hours.

Alternatively, cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 24 hours or up to 3 days.

Before portioning, let the bowl stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften the dough slightly if needed.

When ready to bake, place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the cookies on the upper and lower racks for 11 to 12 minutes, until the tops are barely dry and the edges are just turning golden.

Switch the pans’ positions halfway through the baking time for even cooking.

The cookies will look slightly underdone but will firm up as they cool.

Alternatively, you can bake the pans one at a time on the center rack.

Once baked, place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks.

Let the cookies rest on the sheets for 3 minutes before transferring them to the cooling racks to finish cooling completely.

Enjoy your delicious treats!