12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Double Chocolate Peppermint Bites

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Double Chocolate Peppermint Bites

These delicious chocolaty bites are simultaneously rich and invigorating.They're a lot like a York Peppermint Patty in cookie form. The recipe calls for a large quantity of chocolate chips to be melted, so I would suggest using a double boiler to keep the melted chocolate warm and workable, without the risk of burning.

Ingredient

2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao; 15 to 16 ounces)

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 large eggs
• Royal Icing for decorating

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  
  
  2. Stir 2 cups of the chocolate chips in a double boiler, or a medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Measure out 2/3 cup melted of chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.
  
  
• 3. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. 
  
  
  4. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. 
  
  
  5. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. 
  
  
  6. Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough between palms to form ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  
  
• 7. Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely.
  
  
• 8. Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water or in the double boiler. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to harden, 5-10 minutes.Then, pipe a small amount of royal icing in a zigzag pattern on top of the cookies. Allow to harden completely before serving.