How do I crush candy canes?

We used a mortar and pestle to gently crush the candy canes for this recipe. You can also place candy canes in a zip-top bag and smack them with a rolling pin or frying pan to break them up.

Can I make these cookies in a different shape?

Yes! If you don't want a thumbprint style cookie, you can scoop the dough directly onto a baking sheet and flatten it a bit with a fork (use the same criss-cross pattern you might use for traditional peanut butter cookies). Serve the chocolate cookies as-is or drizzle with a bit of melted chocolate.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Sort of. The baked cookies freeze very well on their own: Prepare and bake the dough as directed, but SKIP the powdered sugar coating (it doesn't hold up as well in the freezer). Let cookies cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. We don't recommend filling or decorating the cookies before freezing, as the chocolate can sweat a bit upon defrosting and just won't look or taste as good. If you'd like to make these cookies in advance, freeze them unfilled, then defrost for a few hours on the counter and add the toppings once you're ready to eat them.

How do I store these cookies?

Let cookies cool completely (and let the chocolate set completely!) then store in an airtight container on the counter. They'll last up to 4 days, but are best eaten within a day or two (they may start to dry out after a couple of days).

Do I need to refrigerate or freeze these cookies for the chocolate to set?

Nope! The chocolate should set up just fine on its own within two hours on the counter. If you need it to harden more quickly, you can pop the cookies in the fridge to set, but this can cause the chocolate to sweat a bit and it may be a little sticky and/or show fingerprints more easily.

Can I fill the cookies with chocolate before baking?

We don't recommend adding chocolate (either chopped chocolate or chocolate chips) to the center of these cookies before baking: The chocolate can burn quite easily in the oven, and it is also more likely to bloom (develop a powdery, chalky finish) when melted this way. For best results, bake the cookies and melt the chocolate in a double boiler as the recipe suggests!

Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Description

These easy chocolate thumbprint cookies are topped with crushed peppermint and melted chocolate.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookie Dough:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
160 grams sugar (2/3 cup)
1 egg
5 grams vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
150 grams all purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups when measured correctly by scooping and leveling)
30 grams cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
2 grams kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon)

To Assemble:

35 grams powdered sugar (1/3 cup)
95 grams semi-sweet baking chocolate (1/2 cup)
1-2 candy canes, crushed into small pieces (about 1/4 cup)
40 grams dark baking chocolate (1/4 cup)

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Instructions

Make and chill the dough

Heat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer (or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until soft and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until just combined.
Cover dough and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Shape, bake, and cool

When dough has chilled, shape it into 1 inch balls. I like to use a small cookie scoop to make sure they're all evenly sized.
Roll each dough ball in powdered sugar until it's lightly coated. Place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet (you can also use a Silpat or nonstick baking mat for this!)
Lightly press down on each cookie with your thumb to make an indent.
Bake cookies at 350° F for 8-10 minutes, until cookies have puffed up slightly and show small cracks along the surface.
Remove cookies from oven. Let cool directly on the baking sheet until they're cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. If the indents in the cookies puff up in the oven, gently push them back down with the back of a spoon.

Melt the chocolate filling

Melt half of the semi sweet chocolate over a double boiler until it's smooth and glossy. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in remaining semi-sweet chocolate until it's smooth and melted.
Spoon a dollop of melted chocolate into the center of each cookie.
Sprinkle a few pieces of crushed candy cane on top of the chocolate cookie centers while the chocolate is still warm. Let chocolate set for 30 minutes to an hour.

Drizzle with dark chocolate

Melt half of the dark chocolate over a double boiler until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in remaining dark chocolate until it's smooth and melted.
Use a spoon to drizzle dark chocolate over cookies in a zig-zag motion. Let set for at least one hour, until chocolate has set.

Notes

Use a kitchen scale. Measuring ingredients - especially flour - by volume (with cups) is notoriously unreliable; for best results, use a kitchen scale and follow the weight (gram) measurements in the recipe above.

You can chill the dough overnight if you want, but it will get pretty hard in the fridge. If you go this route, let the dough sit on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour until it is soft enough to scoop easily.

Use good quality chocolate to ensure it melts smoothly - we used Ghirardelli bittersweet baking chips and Ghirardelli dark baking chocolate here.

Love this recipe? Try my famous Gingersnaps next!

Loosely adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine