Candid Cooking: Christmas Cookie Exchange

Every year around Christmas time Mom and her four sister's get together for a brunch and cookie exchange....This year Grandmother has a quilt in so all the daughters and granddaughters went to my grandparent's house on Tuesday to have a brunch, help on the quilt and exchange cookies. I always look forward to this! Spending the day with family is always nice and it is also such a great way to get a good variety of cookies without baking them all yourself. =)
We usually bake two dozen for each family unless they only want one dozen. This year with the five sisters and two married granddaughters we each needed to bake 12 dozen cookies. I most always like to try new recipes for the exchange {probably not the smartest thing I know, especially if they don't turn out very well, but so far I've had good luck} I had found two recipes that were similar, but I couldn't decide which one to go with so I ended up making both....it worked out good I thought.
So for the first kind....are any of you fans of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha? These cookies are inspired by this delightful seasonal drink.....

Peppermint Mocha Blossoms

yield: Approx. 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tbsp instant espresso powder*

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

3 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

about 1/2 cup sugar to coat cookies

approx. 4 dz candy cane kisses, unwrapped

Cream together butter, sugar and espresso powder until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add the extracts. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture until the dough comes together. Drop the cookies into a bowl of sugar and coat. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake @ 350* for 9-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then press a kiss into the top of each one. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

* I had a hard time finding this so I just used instant coffee, but ground it very fine, almost a powder

The second kind I made are one of my and Daren's favorite cookies, but with a twist......{after Daren had tried one and I asked his opinion, he said they were good but that he prefers the original version=) }

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkles

yield: approx. 4 dozen

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 (1 0z.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

2 cups + 2 tbsp flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Mix together oil, chocolate and sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition, then mix in the extracts. sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the first mixture. Chill dough several hours or overnight. Drop into powdered sugar and roll to coat well. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake @ 350* for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake!

Instead of the usual cinnamon heart; press a peppermint gem into the center of each cookie when they come out of the oven. Transfer to wire racks to cool.