12.09.2011

peppermint thumbprint cookies

Peppermint and Chocolate together just scream Christmas to me. I've always liked the combination and will eat it year round, but I feel compelled to eat it around Christmas! Speaking of which... do you live near a Trader Joes? Have you had their Peppermint Jo-Jo's dipped in dark chocolate? Oh. My. Goodness. So insanely good. 



Anyhow... back to these cookies. I've never made thumbprint cookies before because they looked like they took a lot of time. NOT! Easy peasy. 

Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
from Martha Stewart 

Ingredients: 

2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t. fine salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 T. vanilla
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 t. pure peppermint extract 

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and combine. 

Place the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into 1 inch pieces and roll in sugar to coat. Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and indent each cookie with the bottom of a small measuring spoon. Return to oven and cook for 4 additional minutes. Let cookies cool completely on wire racks. 

Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter and chocolate chips in 10 second increments. Stir in peppermint extract. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then put into a ziploc bag. Snip off one corner and pipe into cooled cookies. Let the ganache set and enjoy! 


What flavors scream Christmas to you? Is it peppermint and chocolate like me? Egg nog? Hot cocoa? 

2 comments:

Katie Westwick said...

Beautiful, simplistic photography!

Cristina said...

a perfect chocolate cookies!
to me, the Christmas flavor... so difficult! Jijona nougat, a tipycal spanish sweet for Christmas!