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Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups
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.