Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies

Proving that cookie genius isn't limited to adults, 11-year-old Lizzie Amidzich of Greendale adapted a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe to create this pleasantly minty-cocoa-y cookie in the Open Class category.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies
Recipe tested by Nancy Stohs

Makes about 3 dozen 3-inch cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix
1 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugars and peppermint extract at medium-high speed until creamy. Add eggs and continue to beat at medium speed.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture gradually to butter mixture, beating consistently at medium speed. Add cocoa mix while continuing to beat at medium speed.

Scoop 1/8-cup balls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 9 to 11 minutes.

Let cool on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

Melt white chocolate chips in microwave 30 seconds on 50% power. Stir and repeat until fully melted. Using a spoon, drizzle melted white chocolate over top of cookies.