Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patty Thumbprints Recipes

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the milk, and mix on low until combined. The cookie dough will be thick.
• Roll balls of dough, a little less than 1 Tablespoon each (about 1 inch balls), and roll each into remaining 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar. Place dough balls onto a large lined baking sheet. Using your thumb or the end of a spatula (see post above), make an indent into each cookie. If you find that the balls are cracking when you make an indent, use your hands to push back together. (Some cracks are bound to happen as the cookies expand in the oven- see my photos. No worries there!)
• Chill the shaped cookies for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer (or up to 4 days in the refrigerator). Cover them if chilling for longer than 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Remove chilled and shaped cookies from the refrigerator. Divide between both baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2-3 inches apart. This recipe yields about 30 cookies, so you'll have a 3rd batch with only a few cookies on the sheet.
• Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will still look and feel a little soft. Remove from the oven. The indents will have lost some shape or have puffed up, so use the end of a spatula to make an indent again into the warm cookies.
• Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling with ganache.
• Place chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil- that's too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Stir in the peppermint extract. Taste and add another drop if desired. (It's potent so don't go overboard!) Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before spooning into cookies.
• Spoon 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of ganache into each indentation. I fit about 3/4 teaspoon into each. Sprinkle ganache with crushed candy canes. Ganache will thicken inside the cookies and set on the tops after a few hours, but will still be creamy when you bite into the cookies.
• Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PATTY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg yolk, milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Blend well.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl. Mix until well-blended.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough easily forms into a ball.
• Shape into balls slightly larger than 1-inch.
• Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl, and roll each ball in the sprinkles until well-coated.
• Place each ball 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
• Press an indentation in the center of each dough ball using your thumb.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set when you lightly touch an edge (carefully).
• Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 1-2 minutes.
• Press a peppermint patty into the middle of the cookie, into the indentation.
• Remove cookies from pans with a spatula, and cool completely on wire racks.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a med bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture.
• Combine gradually flour mixture to butter mixture.
• Roll dough in one inch balls, then roll in xtra sugar to coat (can use sanding sugar).
• Place on parchment lined pans 1 inch apart.
• Bake 5 minutes then remove from oven and make thumbprint (I used a melon baller) to make indention in center of each cookie.
• Return to oven and bake 4 minutes exactly (they look raw, but don't worry :).
• Remove pan from oven and place kiss on each cookie.
• They need to sit for a few hours to set.