Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls...

...were most definitely my go-to cookie recipe this holiday season.  When Natalie first shared the recipe on her blog and made it sound easy peasy, I wanted to give them a try for upcoming parties.

These little yummies were SO good. and SO easy.  Milk's favorite cookie plus peppermint? Be still my rumbling tummy:)

Ingredients

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1 package of Peppermint OREO cookies 

4 packages of semi-sweet baking chocolate

8-10 candy canes, crushed ( I cheated and used pre-crushed mints from Costco ;)

1//  Blend up cookies until they are finely crushed

 2//  Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.  (The second time making these I learned how MUCH easier it is to use clean hands for this part, rather than mixing utensils.)

It took a lot of self control to not lick some of the yumminess off my hands during mixing.  Somehow, I was able to keep it together:)

3//   Shape the mixture into 1 inch round balls.  Throw in the freezer for 10 minutes.

4//  While dough balls are freezing, melt baking chocolate in the microwave.  Then, dip balls in melted chocolate.  To help make the dipping go more smoothly, I used forks to to gently scoop them out the melted chocolate yumminess and then let the excess chocolate drip off in the ball. 

5//  Set on lined wax-paper pan and sprinkle the crushed candy canes on before the chocolate hardens and the candy won't stick.

6//  Refrigerate for an hour and then store cookie balls...unless you're like and the chocolate-peppermint combo is too much to handle and you have to "sample" a few ;)

If you need a fun, easy treat to bring to your New Year's Eve festivities, these little dough balls pack a tasty punch!

All this baking chit-chat has made me hungry...I need a snack;)

Happy snacking!