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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Cookies

    Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups

    Published by Melissa on December 10, 2010 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 40 Comments

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    Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups

    While searching for cookie recipes for my 12 weeks of Christmas Cookie posts I came across Abby Dodge’s Double Dark Chocolate Thumbprints on Fine Cooking. It’s a chocolate cookie with a dollop of chocolate on top in the middle and it looked to me like a Junior Mint sitting on top of a delicious chewy chocolate cookie.

    The original recipe was a typical round cookie, but I thought it would be fun to make cookie cups in a mini muffin tin so they would be easier to fill and you could get more chocolate filling in the “thumbprint”.

    Nielsen-Massey sent me a selection of their high quality extracts, including their Pure Peppermint Extract that I’ve been anxious to try. I decided peppermint would add a wonderful holiday twist to Abby’s cookie recipe. I also used the Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla in this recipe, which is fabulous too.

    These cookie cups taste similar to fudgy, chewy brownie bites with a mild peppermint flavor and luscious chocolate center. We all loved this cookie. I think it’s one of my better ideas. Bet you can’t eat just one!

    Chocolate-Peppermint-Cookie-Cups-2

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    Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups

    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Cookies
    Author: Barbara Schieving
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    Ingredients

    • 1-⅓ cups 6 oz. unbleached all-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp. table salt
    • ½ tsp. baking powder
    • ¼ tsp. baking soda
    • ½ cup 4 oz. - 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
    • 1-⅓ cups granulated sugar
    • 1-½ oz. ½ cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
    • 3 large eggs
    • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp. peppermint extract
    • ½ cup 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (I used semisweet chips)

    For the chocolate filling

    • I used 1 cup Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Dipping & Candy-Making Bar and no butter
    • ½ cup 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    • 4 Tbs. 2 oz. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

    Instructions

    • Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a mini muffin tin with spray with cooking spray.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
    • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and cocoa powder on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and the beater. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until blended after each addition, about 30 seconds, and adding the vanilla and peppermint extract along with the last egg. Continue mixing on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.
    • Add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix until just blended, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well blended, about 1 minute.
    • Using a mini ice cream scoop or spoon, drop a tablespoon of dough into each cup of prepared mini muffin tins. Fill the muffin cups only about ⅔ full. Bake, one tin at a time, until the cookies are puffed and the tops are cracked and look dry, 11 to 15 minutes.
    • When the cookies are just out of the oven, use the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon to make a small, deep well in the center of each cookie.
    • Let the cookies sit on the muffin tin for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. (At this point, you can fill the cookies immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month before filling.)
    • Make the filling
    • Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth.
    • Remove from the heat and set aside until cool and slightly thickened.
    • Fill the cookies
    • Spoon the chocolate mixture into the wells of the cooled cookies. Set aside until the chocolate firms up, about 1 hour.
    • Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    Chocolate-Peppermint-Cookies-3

    I only had one 24 cup mini muffin tin, so I made the rest of the dough into cookies and drizzled them with dark and white chocolate. Although we preferred the cookie cups because you get more chocolate, both versions were delicious and make a perfect holiday cookie.

    12 weeks of Christmas

    This post is part of a 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies blog hog. Be sure and check out all of the fabulous cookies the other 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies bakers baked up this week.

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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melanie

      December 18, 2010 at 6:25 pm

      I made these today and they are wonderful. I added a sprinkling of crushed candy cane to the tops of mine. Thanks for another fantastic recipe.

      Reply
      • Barbara

        December 18, 2010 at 9:49 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for commenting and let me know you made them. Crushed candy cane is the perfect topping! I found myself wishing I had some for the pictures.

        Reply
    2. Judy

      December 18, 2010 at 4:47 pm

      chocolate and peppermint are such a great combo, especially for the holidays! Yum.

      Reply
    3. FOODESSA

      December 17, 2010 at 9:46 am

      Cookie cups not only sound great they look like they taste fabulous!!!

      Barbara…your creativity paid off…and I shall try your technique over the holidays for sure ;o)

      Ciao for now,
      Claudia

      Reply
    4. tasteofbeirut

      December 13, 2010 at 6:29 pm

      These cookies look just like the kind I need to be in a good mood this holiday season! Plus, I had ordered that peppermint extract months ago but never got around to using it! they look smashing.

      Reply
    5. Joy

      December 13, 2010 at 11:54 am

      These look heavenly. Some chocolate goodness.

      Reply
    6. Joanne

      December 13, 2010 at 10:22 am

      Wow, these look so delicious. I love chocolate peppermint desserts, and thumbprint cookies are some of my favorites. I can’t wait to try these! They would be perfect for a cookie swap!

      Reply
    7. Faith

      December 13, 2010 at 8:35 am

      Chocolate and mint are one of my favorite holiday combos! Love these cute little cookies, Barbara!

      Reply
    8. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

      December 12, 2010 at 11:39 pm

      Ooh at first I thought they were mini cupcakes! Maybe you’ve just invented the first mini cupcake cookie mum! 😉 xxx

      Reply
    9. Cakelaw

      December 12, 2010 at 9:49 pm

      These look great too! I think fudgy and brownie like = perfect. I will miss all of these great cookies when Xmas finally comes.

      Reply
    10. Aggie

      December 12, 2010 at 9:35 pm

      Those are so pretty Barbara! I love chocolate and mint together…love the white drizzle!

      Reply
    11. Jerri

      December 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm

      Wow! Those look too perfect! Yum!

      I’m hosting a Christmas Recipe party on Thursday (with prizes). Hope you can stop by!

      Reply
    12. Anna Johnston

      December 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm

      What a fabulous idea cooking these in mini muffin trays, gives the cookie that little bit more umph 🙂 Like it.

      Reply
    13. Sarah, Maison Cupcake

      December 12, 2010 at 10:05 am

      These are so pretty Barbara, I have have never made thumbprints before and how you’ve swirled that zig zag icing over them really finishes them off. I wonder if thumbprint cookies are more an American thing as I see them on US blogs but rarely in the UK but I don’t see a reason why as they’re so versatile.

      Reply
    14. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc

      December 12, 2010 at 9:42 am

      Wow these looks sinful. Hope you’re doing well, Alison

      Reply
    15. sameena

      December 12, 2010 at 6:40 am

      Hey barbara,

      They looks real yumm..Have added my cashew cookies to your linky..Check out the event in my blog..:)Going to link back in my blog post…:)

      Reply
    16. Linda

      December 11, 2010 at 10:08 pm

      I am glad I have not made the cookies from Fine Cooking yet. I had printed the recipe to make this week, but I love your adaptation and I can’t wait to try them Monday. Thank you!

      Reply
    17. Amanda

      December 11, 2010 at 5:16 pm

      OMG Barbara, those look positively amazing!!!

      Reply
    18. Donna

      December 11, 2010 at 12:23 pm

      So creative! I have only made the thumbprint cookies with jam in the center. These are such a great twist on that classic – can’t go wrong with chocolate!

      Reply
    19. teresa

      December 11, 2010 at 11:29 am

      oh YUMMY! i love the chocolate mint combo!

      Reply
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