Description
Notes of dark chocolate and espresso add richness to these Peppermint Mocha Cookies. A plunge into melted smooth white chocolate and a festive sprinkle of crushed peppermint brings a twinkle of holiday tingle .
Ingredients
Units
- all purpose flour - 4 1/2 cups
- dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona - 1 1/2 cups)
- instant espresso powder - 2 tablespoons
- baking powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons
- salt - 1 1/2 teaspoons
- unsalted butter at room temperature - 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks)
- eggs at room temperature - 4
- granulated sugar - 1 1/2 cups
- brown sugar (lightly packed - 1/2 cup)
- pure vanilla extract - 2 teaspoons
- white chocolate chips - 2 cups (one bag)
- crushed peppermints or candy canes - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and add the vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add to the sugar mixture one egg at a time, allow each egg to blend in completely before adding the next. Scrape the sides of the bowl down.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat on low until just mixed and smooth. The dough will be soft and sticky and looks like a giant tootsie roll at this point.
- Divide the sticky soft dough into two or three equal disks and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in refrigerator for at least an hour up to overnight, the dough needs to firm up.
- Be sure to have cookie cutters and a rolling pin available.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to 1/4" thickness on floured counter top. Cut the rolled dough into chosen shapes. Gather the scrapes and repeat until the dough is all shaped.
- I like to chill my dough at this point, at least 20 minutes so the dough will hold it's shape and bakes up with crisp edges.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Place cookies on lined baking sheets at least 1" apart and bake for 12-15 minutes (depending on size) until the cookies feel firm to the touch, rotating once during the bake. Remove from oven and cool on cookie racks.
- Once cooled, melt the white chocolate chips over a double boiler and dip the cookies into the chocolate as desired. Place on wire rack and while the chocolate is still tacky, sprinkle with peppermint bits. Allow the chocolate to set before serving or packaging.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes