Peppermint Thumbprints

Peppermint Thumbprints

My first cookie experiment, of the Holidays. I was looking for a way to make a soft, cake-like peppermint cookie. The flavor is great, with a soft, almost marshmallow-like texture, but the shape is not really uniform. Maybe I'll try these again, near Christmas, and pipe the cookie dough, for a better shape.

Cookie ingredients:
1/2cup strong coffee-cooled
2tsp. molasses
1tsp. vanilla
1egg
1-3/4cups flour
1/4cup dark chocolate cocoa
1/2tsp. baking soda
1/4tsp. salt
1/4cup brown sugar
4Tbl. cold butter

Peppermint layer:
1cup confectioners sugar
1tsp. mint extract
2Tbl. light corn syrup

You'll also need:
1cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350*F.
Combine the ingredients, for the mint layer, stir or knead until smooth. Set aside.
For the cookies, whisk together the coffee, molasses, vanilla, and egg. Set aside.
Whisk together, the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter, working it in with your fingers, until there are no more large particles.
Stir the coffee mixture, into the flour mixture, until well combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Spoon dough, 1-teaspoon at a time, 2-inches apart.
Bake about 7-minutes, or until just set. Immediately, press the center of the cookie, with a spoon, or your finger, to make a depression, for the mint layer.
While still warm, roll 1/2-inch ball, of the mint mixture, and press it into the center of the cookie. Set aside to cool.
Melt the chocolate, in the microwave, until melted and smooth.
Dip the top of the cooled cookies into the chocolate, and set aside, to harden.
Makes 3 dozen.

Roll the mint mixture, into 1/2-inch balls, while the cookie is baking. While the cookie is still warm, press a depression, into the center, then set one of the mint balls, in the depression. Flatten the mint layer. Cool completely.

After they have cooled, dip the top of the cookie, in melted dark chocolate. Cool until the chocolate hardens.