Dairy Farmers of Ontario brings a festive twist to dessert with these Velvety Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. Rich cocoa cookies are sandwiched with a light, minty frosting and finished with a satisfying crunch of crushed peppermint. Perfect for the holidays or anytime you’re craving a cool chocolate treat.
Velvety Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Yields 20
Ingredients:
For Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) Ontario unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) confectioners’ (icing) sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
For Frosting
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) Ontario unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) peppermint extract
- 1 cup (250 mL) confectioners’ (icing) sugar, sifted
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) Ontario whipping (35%) cream
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) crushed peppermint hard candies or candy canes
Directions:
- In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- In large bowl, using handheld electric mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until until smooth. On low speed, beat in flour mixture just until incorporated.
- Divide dough half. Shape each half into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until well chilled and firm.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Working with 1 portion at a time, roll dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour to 1/4-inch (.5 mm) thickness (if dough is too hard to roll, let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes).
- Using 2-inch (5 cm) fluted round cookie cutter, cut out 40 rounds, rerolling scraps as needed. Transfer cookies to parchment paper–lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Bake cookies for 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and tops are set. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- In medium bowl, using handheld electric mixer, beat butter and peppermint extract until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in confectioners’ sugar and cream until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat until filling is light and fluffy. Fold in crushed peppermint candies. Transfer filling to piping bag fitted with large round tip.
- Pipe filling on flat side of half the cookies and cap each with remaining cookies.
