On Day 9 of the 12 Days of Cookies, we bring you the traditional holiday flavor of peppermint. Time to try Sheila Hill’s Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Ingredients
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
20 mini candy canes, crushed, for decorating
Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Add the eggs and the vanilla and peppermint extracts to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
3. Roll the dough into 2 logs, about 12 inches long and 2 inches round. Wrap the logs in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/2 inch rounds and place on parchment lined cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Yields 30 cookies.
Glaze
Stir together confectioner’s sugar and heavy cream to make a spreadable glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze on top of each cookie and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Let the cookies dry completely on wire racks.
Stir together confectioner’s sugar and heavy cream to make a spreadable glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze on top of each cookie and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Let the cookies dry completely on wire racks.
Sheila Hill was born and raised outside Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her love for all things chocolate began at an early age and continues to this day. While Sheila eventually left central Pennsylvania to attend college in suburban Philadelphia, her roots to PA Dutch food and chocolate run deep. After college, Sheila traveled extensively throughout Europe and the US as a software consultant. Her many travels afforded her opportunities to indulge in local cuisines and cultures. Eventually settling in the Garden State, Sheila took one bite of a Jersey tomato, and she was hooked. Now as the mother of two, Sheila enjoys sampling all of the Garden State’s delectable delights including everything from restaurants to locally grown fruits and veggies to locally produced wines. On rare occasion (after jumping through hoops of fire and bending over backwards), Sheila and her husband hit a favorite, romantic restaurant for a quiet dinner or a local hot-spot for a much-needed night out. Follow Sheila’s adventures in motherhood at her personal blog www.piecesofamom.com and on Twitter @PiecesofaMom.
