Blackberry Peppermint Chocolate Striped Cookies & the 18 Reasons DIY Dessert Holiday Cookie Swap

These cookies get a boost of Dr. Seuss-ian like whimsy with the addition of the red food coloring and shiny white egg glaze. You can omit the food coloring if you like but expect the blackberry cookie part to look a dull (not really attractive) gray-purple color. To get the extra black color in the chocolate stripes, I used onyx black cocoa powder. You can find it a specialty supply stores or online. If you don’t have access to it though, feel free to substitute the same amount of dutch-processed cocoa powder. Don’t omit the white glaze though, because they not only make the cookies look surreal and shiny but also helps the sparkling sugar stick to the top of the cookie, giving them an extra sugary crunch with each bite. If you don’t have sparkling sugar (which are extra large sugar crystals) just substitute regular granulated white sugar.

Blackberry cookie dough
130 g (1 cup) blackberries (frozen is ok)
90 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated white sugar, divided
226 g (8 oz or 2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
115 g (1 cup) confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
385 g (2 3/4 cup) all purpose flour

Peppermint chocolate cookie dough
226 g (8 oz or 2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
115 g (1 cup) confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean
1 egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
280 g (2 cup) all purpose flour
25 g (1/4 cup) natural cocoa powder
35 g (1/4 cup) onyx black cocoa powder
10 g (1 tablespoon) instant coffee

Egg white wash
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon of water

1/4 cup sparkling white sugar crystals

1. Make the blackberry dough by placing blackberries 1 tablespoon of the white sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the blackberries start to fall apart and it begins to smell jammy and have thickened (about 5 minutes). You want to make sure most of the moisture has evaporated, so this might take longer if you are using frozen blackberries, which have more moisture.

2. Scrape the blackberries into the bowl of a standing mixer and beat for 30 seconds on medium speed until the blackberry puree had cooled. Add the butter, sugars, and salt into the bowl. Split the bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl as well. Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about three minutes on medium. Add the egg and food coloring and beat to incorporate.

2. Add the flour in three portions, beating to incorporate between additions, scraping down the sides with a large spatula. Once the flour is blended in, divide the dough in half and pat the dough down into a 6 x 6 x 1/2 inch square. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 20 to 30 minutes). Repeat with the second half of the dough.

3. Make the chocolate dough by placing the butter, sugars, and salt in the same bowl (don’t bother cleaning it) of the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about three minutes on medium. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the batter. Add the egg and peppermint extract and beat to incorporate.

4. Place the flour, cocoa powders, and instant coffee in a small bowl stir vigorously with a balloon whisk until well blended. Add these dry ingredients in three portions, beating to incorporate between additions, scraping down the sides with a large spatula. Once the flour is blended in, divide the dough in half and pat the dough down into a 6 x 6 x 1/2 inch square. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate (about 20 to 30 minutes). Repeat with the second half of the dough.

5. Take all four dough squares out of the refrigerator. Brush the top of one of the blackberry dough 6 x 6 squares with water completely. Place one of the chocolate dough squares on top of it, and press down firmly to adhere the dough. Brush the top of this chocolate dough with water and place the remaining blackberry dough square on top of that, pressing down firmly. Brush the top of this blackberry square with water and place the remaining chocolate dough on top of that, pressing down firmly. You should have a 2 inch thick stack of 6 x 6 square dough, alternating in layers. Now cut the square in half horizontally and brush the top of one half with water. Press the other half on top of that, creating a large 4 inch stack of 8 alternating layers of dough. Now press firmly down on the dough evenly to smash the dough block down to a 3 inch tall box. This will make sure that all the dough is firmly attached to each other, as well as make the final cookies not quite as tall. Wrap with plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes until firm.

Stack the four doughs on top of each other, alternating.

Cut block in half and then stack again, creating an 8 layer stack.

6. While the dough firms up in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Once the dough has firmed up, trim the edges of the rectangle to make 90˚ sides. Set the trimming aside for marbled zebra cookies (instructions to follow). Cut a 1/2 inch strip from the square lengthwise. Lay the dough flat, and cut into 1/2” strips. Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

After trimming sides, slice a 1/2 inch piece of dough, lengthwise from block.

Lay the dough flat and just slice cookie bars from it!

7. Beat the egg white and the water together in a small bowl until frothy. Brush each cookie with the egg white wash and then sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown ever so slightly. Cool on the sheet for ten minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

8. To make marbled zebra cookies, brush the top of one trimming with water and place another trimming on top, alternating dough strips. Repeat until all the trimmings are placed on each other. Flatten and twist the trimmings together, turning clockwise with one hand, while counterclockwise with the other. Roll out the dough to a 12 inch length, and fold over once. Form the dough into a thick 1 1/2 inch roll pressing firmly down to make sure the different doughs stick together. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill until firm (another 20 to 30 minutes).

9. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Once the dough has firmed up, slice the dough into 1/2” thick cookies and place on the baking sheet, about an inch apart. Brush with the white egg wash and sprinkle with the sparkling sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies start to brown ever so slightly. Cool on the sheet for ten minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

Makes about 65 cookies.