Receta Christmas cookies
So far this year I've started my dough making early so as to not drive myself crazy by making dough and baking all in the same day like I've done the past few years. There is an obscene amount of cookie dough in my fridge... But I'm a girl on a mission as I've got more than a handful of friends I'm gifting cookies to that I need to get out next week! (OMG 11 days 'till Christmas People!!)
Last night I made a chocolate dough for chocolate candy cane cookies. I saw this cookie come up one day in my FB news feed and automatically bookmarked it and added it to my Christmas cookie list. This is a completely new cookie I'm trying out this year, but as someone who doesn't always follow the rules instead of using regular cocoa powder in the dough I decided to throw caution to the wind and use the Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder and see how it comes out. I'm sure the filling for these cookies is going to be super sweet so with the dark chocolate.. Mmmmm. The dough is dark.. black as coal and I can't wait to get these cookies in the oven tonight and see how they taste!!
This dough came together really quick, I was done in less than 15 minutes, put the ball of dough into a Ziplock bag and put it in the fridge with the rest of the Christmas cookie dough balls that are chilling.
Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- Filling
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 drops (or more) red food coloring
- 1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)
Directions:
For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.
For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.
Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)