peppermint sandwich cookies
You slather silky pink peppermint buttercream between two soft, shortbread-y chocolate wafers. You press the two sides together ever so gently to urge the buttercream to the edges, just enough to attract the bits of crushed candy cane you will roll it through. You end up with one very festive, and tasty, Christmas cookie treat; a cookie with the power to convert even an avowed chocolate-and-peppermint hater.
the recipe
Chocolate Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats
- 1 3/4 cups 210 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process — I used regular and ended up with lighter dough, pictured up top
- 1/4 teaspoon 1.5 g salt
- 1 cup 200 g sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large 50 g egg
- Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt.
- Use an electric mixer to beat sugar and butter until well blended, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in egg.
- Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended.
- Wrap dough and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls and use your palms to roll into smooth balls. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Using a small square of wax paper and the bottom of a glass, flatten each ball to a 2-inch (5 cm) round.
- Bake until cookies no longer look wet, about 9 to 11 minutes.
- Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction
- 1 3/4 cups 210 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process — I used regular and ended up with lighter dough, pictured up top
- 1/4 teaspoon 1.5 g salt
- 1 cup 200 g sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large 50 g egg
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats.
Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt.
Use an electric mixer to beat sugar and butter until well blended, about 2 minutes.
Beat in egg.
Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended.
Wrap dough and refrigerate 1 hour.
Scoop dough by tablespoonfuls and use your palms to roll into smooth balls. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Using a small square of wax paper and the bottom of a glass, flatten each ball to a 2-inch (5 cm) round.
Bake until cookies no longer look wet, about 9 to 11 minutes.
Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
— from epicurious
Peppermint Buttercream
Cookies can be stored in container at room temperature up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks.
- 1 cup 120 g powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) 113 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon 2.5–4 mL peppermint extract, to taste
- 2 drops red food coloring, or more
- 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) 115 g candy canes, finely crushed
- Use an electric mixer to beat powdered sugar and butter together until fluffy.
- Add peppermint extract and food coloring.
- Spread a heaping teaspoon of buttercream evenly over a cookie, then top with another cookie; press together gently to squeeze buttercream all the way to the edges. Roll edges in crushed candy canes.
each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction
Cookies can be stored in container at room temperature up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks.
- 1 cup 120 g powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) 113 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon 2.5–4 mL peppermint extract, to taste
- 2 drops red food coloring, or more
- 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) 115 g candy canes, finely crushed
Use an electric mixer to beat powdered sugar and butter together until fluffy.
Add peppermint extract and food coloring.
Spread a heaping teaspoon of buttercream evenly over a cookie, then top with another cookie; press together gently to squeeze buttercream all the way to the edges. Roll edges in crushed candy canes.