Chocolate-peppermint Cookies

Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
• 2 lbs chocolate, coarsely chopped

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees. sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. beat in peppermint extract. slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
• 2 roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. roll and cut scraps once. freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. repeat with remaining disk.
• 3 bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)
• 4 sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. remove from heat. dunk cookies into melted chocolate. using a fork, turn to coat, let excess drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours. decorated cookies are best served the same day.