Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 40 cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
  • 2 ounces good dark chocolate or your favorite chocolate chips
  • 2 ounces mint chocolate (I adore Equal Exchange's Dark Chocolate Mint)
  • 1½ cups flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coarse sugar, for rolling
For the filling
  • 3 ounces chocolate OR 3 ounces mint chocolate
  • (If using plain chocolate ONLY) ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
For the cookies:
  1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and mint chocolate together (you can also use a microwave), just until melted. Remove and cool.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  3. In another, larger bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer to beat the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Scrape the melted chocolate into the bowl and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and then add the flour all at once, mixing on low so you don't make a mess. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and beat just until the dough is smooth. Gather it together, place on a sheet of plastic, press into a disk, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour the coarse sugar into a shallow bowl.
  5. Gently form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, squeezing to make sure they don't have any cracks. Roll each ball through the coarse sugar to coat, then place on the baking sheet.
  6. Use your thumb or the top of a wooden spoon to make an indentation in the cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and reinforce the indentation using the top of the wooden spoon. Bake for another 2 to 5 minutes, watching carefully and pulling the cookies at the first sight of cracking.
  7. Let the cookies set on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the filling:
  1. When the cookies are cool, chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Bring some water to boil. Measure out 3 tablespoons and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then use a spatula to mix until smooth. If you used plain chocolate, add the mint extract.
  2. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the cookies' indentations. Refrigerate until set, 15 to 30 minutes. You can store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container, or keep them in the fridge.
Recipe by Big Girls Small Kitchen at http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2015/12/chocolate-mint-thumbprint-cookies.html