Candy Cane Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Some of my favourite flavours at Christmas time are chocolate (hello?!?!) and peppermint together.

These cookies are always a hit at cookie exchanges because of their unique "boot track" shape. The addition of crushed candy canes adds a really festive feel to these cookies.

They are also a snap to mix up and bake on a waffle iron for those last minute baking gifts.

Candy Cane Waffle Cookies

• 1/2 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee, (optional)

Preheat a Belgian waffle maker. Spray with non-stick spray if you think it is needed. Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and vanilla. Mix in other wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined - do not over mix. The batter is very thick. Drop one rounded teaspoon of batter on to waffle iron. Close iron and cook until puffy and cooked through - about 60-90 seconds depending on the heat of your waffle iron. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool.

Serving ideas

• dust with icing sugar before serving (as pictured)
• serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce

Disclosure - This recipe is being entered into the "My Cookies are the Best" contest on the Food Bloggers of Canada. I could win a trip to the Food Bloggers of Canada conference thanks to the Manitoba Canola Growers