Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup each butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place balls, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove sheets from oven; with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a small round measuring spoon, make an indentation in center of each cookie.
• Bake until cookies are just set but still look moist, 4 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter in 10-second increments until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Let cool until thick enough to pipe, 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large zip-top bag; snip 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Pipe chocolate into cookie indentations. Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Make the cookies:.
• Sift the flour and cocoa together into a medium bowl.
• Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and salt; continue beating until blended and smooth, about 1 minute more.
• Add the flour-cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute.
• Chill the dough until firm enough to roll into balls, 40 to 60 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 350°F Line cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.
• Roll heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Arrange them 2 inches apart on the lined sheets.
• With a lightly floured thumb or index fingertip, press straight down into the middle of each ball almost to the cookie sheet to make a deep well. (Or use the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon.).
• Bake one sheet at a time until the tops of the cookies look dry, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Gently redefine the indentations with the end of a wooden spoon.
• Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then let them cool completely on racks.
• Make the filling:.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set in a wide skillet of almost simmering water.
• Stir with a heatproof spatula until almost melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds more.
• Stir in the mint extract.
• Let the filling cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and a bit warmer than room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Spoon the filling into a small pastry bag with a small plain tip. (Or use a small plastic bag and cut a tiny bit off a bottom corner of the bag.)
• Pipe the filling into the center of each cookie.
• Cool completely before serving or storing.
• The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.

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.