Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since St Patty's Day is tomorrow I thought it very appropriate to make something green. Since we have been moving this week, my baking has been very limited (and my camera is still at the other house), but no matter how limited my baking might be I can always find the time to make some delicious cookies! I also must put a little plug in for gel food colorings. I recently purchased some and I absolutely love them! You need so little of it and it gives things such a vibrant color. I just adore them. So if you have never tried gel food coloring I highly recommend it!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4cups high quality chocolate chips or chunks (in this recipe I prefer dark chocolate chips)
Green food coloring gel (optional)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Melt butter. Pour melted butter into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with blade attachment. Add food coloring and mix until food coloring is evenly distributed.

3. Add both sugars, salt, and mint extract to bowl with butter and mix until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and mix until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining.  Stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

4. Shape dough into 1 inch round balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 8 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. My oven cooks pretty evenly so I didn't rotate the baking sheet halfway through. My cookies only took about 8 minutes to cook so watch them carefully. I took them out just when the edges started looking golden brown. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.