Pepperiment Chocolate Shortbread Cookies! With White Chocolate Peppermint Coating
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 28-36
Ingredients
  • For the Cookies:
  • 1 ½ cups AP flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup of unsalted butter (two sticks) room temp
  • ½ tsp. of salt
  • 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. peppermint extract
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • For the White Chocolate Coating:
  • 8.5 - 9oz white chocolate bars chopped
  • 3 tbsp. finely crushed candy canes (I use a food processor, can use mallet or rolling pin to release aggression)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped candy canes for garnish
Instructions
  1. For the Cookie Dough:
  2. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt and espresso powder. Next sift the cocoa powder into the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, around 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine, next add the yolk and combine. Add the vanilla and the peppermint extracts and mix. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated and the flour bits are mixed in.
  4. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap (can split in two and freeze one half for up to 3 months) and form into around a 6 inch disk. Cover fully with the plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2 hours up to 3 days.
  5. Make the cookies:
  6. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Remove dough from the fridge. You many need to let it sit out for 5 to 10 minutes so it's easier to roll. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough out to about ¼ of inch thick. Dunk your festive cutters (I used, snowflake, Santa and small scalloped round) in the flour to coat the bottom. Cut out the cookie shapes and carefully place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat process until the dough is used up.
  7. Pop the unbaked cookies in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Place baking sheets in the oven and bake 18 to 22 minutes, rotating from top to bottom halfway through. Cookies are done when the tops are harder to the touch and slightly shiny. Allow baked cookies to cool completely on wire racks.
  8. White Chocolate Coating:
  9. In a medium heat proof bowl place ¾ of the white chocolate in the bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the remaining chopped white chocolate and stir until melted. If need be you can pop the bowl back in the microwave for 15 seconds until smooth. Add the finely crushed candy canes and mix to incorporate.
  10. Dunk the fully cooled cookies into the melted white chocolate. Place back on cooling racks for excess to drip off. Sprinkle with a little coarsely chopped candy cane for garnish. Allow the chocolate to completely set. You can speed up by popping in the fridge for around 30 minutes. Store in air-tight container at room temp or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  11. Enjoy!
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2019/12/21/peppermint-chocolate-shortbread-cookies-move-over-sugar-cookies-a-new-holiday-favorite-is-in-town/