I’m so excited to share with you this first cookie collab (short for collaboration) between The Bright Spot and Eirene of Eve’s Cakes & Sweets which is just perfect for the season.
If you love chocolates and peppermint, then you will surely love these Peppermint Chocolate Cookies that she made for The Bright Spot!
I chose peppermint to go with chocolate, not nuts and fruits, because Christmas taste like peppermint, right?
And why is that, nga ba? Why is peppermint so associated with Christmas?
I looked it up online, and traced its history to…guess what? Candy canes!
I am reprinting some of the texts from Wikipedia so we can appreciate more the interesting origin of candy canes:
According to a popular account, in 1672, in Cologne,Germany. the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral, wishing to remedy the noise caused by children in his church during the Living Crèche tradition of Christmas Eve, asked a local candy maker for some sweet sticks for them.
In order to justify the practice of giving candy to children during worship services, he asked the candy maker to add a crook to the top of each stick, which would help children remember the shepherds who paid visit to infant Jesus. In addition, he used the white colour of the converted sticks to teach children about the Christian belief in the sinless life of Jesus.
From Germany, the candy canes spread to other parts of Europe, where they were handed out during plays reenacting the Nativity.
A recipe for straight peppermint candy sticks, white with colored stripes, was published in 1844. The candy cane has been mentioned in literature since 1866, was first mentioned in association with Christmas in 1874, and as early as 1882 was hung on Christmas trees.
Now I know why the peppermint powder of my Starbucks Peppermint Mocha drink is red!
Anyway, I love the taste of peppermint in chocolates so that sealed the flavors of my cookies. I pinched the idea to Eirene (who, by the way, makes really mean blueberry cheesecake) and she happily agreed to make some for me!
We met last Thursday, and I was delighted to find that she has already thought of the packaging for the cookies. Nice!
Eirene made 2 kinds of peppermint cookies: Peppermint Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Mint Candies, and Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies with Mint Candies (a.k.a. Pinwheels).
Both cookies have a wonderful peppermint flavor that lingered even after I have finished them, are chewy (a must for me!) and best of all, they are not that sweet (another must for me!).
Between the two, I liked the pinwheels better. Maybe because they give me the taste of both sugar cookies + chocolate cookies, and they look like cake rolls!
Being one with a sweet tooth, AJ preferred the peppermint chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips. The white chocolate chips added sweetness, but not in an overwhelming way.
My office mates and parents were also able to try the ‘sample’ peppermint chocolate cookies and guess what? They have placed their orders already! One wanted 10 of these baskets, while another requested for a smaller version and placed 10 orders as well.
I was also flooded with inquiries when I posted a photo of these cookies at my Facebook page. That goes to show that peppermint and Christmas really go together!
A basket of peppermint chocolate cookies costs only P220.00, which includes 9 individually-wrapped peppermint chocolate cookies and 6 pieces of the pinwheel version. You can also customize your orders and decide on the mix that you want.
To place your orders (and I suggest you do it now while Eve’s Cakes & Sweets is not yet fully booked for holiday baking!), contact Eirene at (02) 347.0899 or (0922) 841.0901, or leave her a message at their Facebook page.
And because Eirene and I seriously want you, dear readers, to enjoy these cookies as well, we are giving away THREE (3) CHRISTMAS SWEETS BASKETS!
These specially curated Christmas Sweets basket will contain Eve’s Cakes & Sweets Christmas specials, as follows:
Entry guidelines:
- Open only to readers of the The Bright Spot with Metro Manila address.
- Like The Bright Spot on Facebook.
- Like Eve’s Sweets & Cakes on Facebook.
- Tell us what is your favorite Christmas treat at the comments section of this post.
Deadline for submitting entries is on DECEMBER 14, 2013 (Saturday).
Thank you so much, Eve’s Cakes & Sweets for this ho-ho-ho-holiday give away!
Hi Lea! I’m so loyal with your giveaways hihihi
My favorite Xmas treats are season inspired cookies. I prefer those that came in additional twist such as candies and in this case, the peppermint effect. I usually receive Xmas inspired cookies since I was a kid. So every time I receive Xmas themed cookies, I feel like a grown up who remains to be very kid at heart.
hi ms. leah
with Christmas just around the corner, i cant help but get really excited..
sharing & giving gifts to others is so heartwarming but receiving gifts
as well makes me feel giddy especially if the ones i receives are sweets.
being a person with a sweet tooth, receiving candies, chocolates and
cookies specially those with Christmas themes makes me joyous.
i love your post about the candy canes because we only get to see this
every Christmas. i would love to try the peppermint chocolate cookies
because the pin wheels looks too cute to eat.. ^_^
Hi Leah,
I’ve been reading your blog ever since I read your The Best Blue Berry cheesecake you found in facebook, from Ms. Eirene! You introduced me to Eve’s Cakes and Sweets to bargain finds and your creativity. Now, that you are giving away Ms. Eirene’s cookies, I should place my comments here… haha… My favorite Christmas treats are CAKES! I so love cakes! blue berry cheesecake, dark chocolate cake.. I love buying cakes in every occasions, and of course, receiving cakes from my friends and loved ones.. 🙂
My fave Christmas treat is fruit cake. My first taste of it was when I was a kid. I guess I was very delighted with the fruit cake (this one came in a can!) then that the happy memory stayed with me until I grew up. I’m just so lucky that I don’t have to buy fruit cakes for Christmas because I have relatives and friends that give it to me as present.
P.S. I like cookies of all kinds, too, and this peppermint-flavored cookies piqued my curiosity so I decided to join this giveaway! 🙂
FB Name: Edelweiza Mabalay-Techo
fruitcake!!!!
My favorite Christmas treat is anything made with peppermint and chocolate, which is why this giveaway is perfect for me! Hehe! Those look so good. I hope I win! 😀
puto bumbong!! 🙂 This is what we commonly eat after “Simbang Gabi”.
hi! holiday-themed chocolate pops are my favorite christmas treat.
Hi Leah, my favorite Christmas treats are gingerbread houses. Nothing makes a more impressive centerpiece during the holidays than a homemade Christmas gingerbread house and some are truly achitectural wonders. I love the colorful candy decorations.
My favorite Christmas treats are chocolate cakes and cupcakes with lots of walnuts! Thanks!
Bibingka and puto bumbong! 😀