Peppermint Mocha Cookies
The thumbprint cookie base comes together quickly with just a handful of ingredients. Their dimples are filled with a delicious peppermint mocha ganache before they’re finished off with a beautiful chocolate drizzle!
Servings: 14 cookies
Ingredients
For Cookie:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For Filling:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
For Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F . Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat together ½ cup unsalted butter and ¼ brown sugar until fluffy. Add 1 egg yolkand ½ teaspoon vanilla extractand mix until fully combined.
- Add ¼ cocoa powder, ¾ cup all purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon sea salt and mix until the dough comes together.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place onto prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and, using the back of a ½ teaspoon measure, the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb, gently press a well into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.
For Peppermint Mocha Ganache
- Pour 3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream or heavy cream into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about 20-30 seconds until just steaming & bubbling around the edges.
- Add in 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules and ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract; stir until the granules have dissolved.
- Pour the ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cream mixture and let sit for about a minute, then whisk until smooth and shiny.
- Carefully fill the indentations of each cookie with the chocolate. (You'll enough filling for 2 batches of cookies.)
- While the filling sets a bit (it will stay soft but shouldn't be runny), melt about 2 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl, and whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle or pipe over the cookies; allow them to set completely before serving or packaging.
Notes
Note: This recipe can be easily doubled for a larger crowd.
Variations
- Change up the ganache! Try infusing the chocolate ganache with 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract, orange zest or a teaspoon or two of raspberry jam instead.
- Roll the dough balls in some granulated sugar before baking for an extra sweet, sparkly exterior.
- Top with colorful holiday sprinkles for an extra festive look.
- Gluten-Free: I have not tried making these cookies gluten-free, but I imagine using a one-to-one gluten free flour blend would work just fine.