Week of Cookies continues with a festive and simple cookie. Today I’d like to share with you my recipe for for Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies. These cookies have a rich chocolate taste with a hint of mint. They’re dipped in dark chocolate and adorned with a few Christmas sprinkles. My husband and I both agreed that these cookies were practically a thin mint twin. Hopefully the girl scouts don’t come after me!
Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites because they require only a few ingredients. No need to check the expiration dates on your leavening agents, or to see if you have enough eggs. This recipe only needs butter, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and peppermint extract. If you include the melting wafers for dipping, that’s only six ingredients.
Shortbread is a fantastic gifting cookie because they stack beautifully in a tin or gift box. They also go great with hot beverages like tea, coffee, or cocoa. Pair a tin of shortbread with a coffee mug and some seasonal tea for a thoughtful and easy gift.
I like to dip just half of the cookie into my melting wafers, but you’re welcome to experiment with your cookies. Dip the entire cookie into your chocolate to give it more of a ‘thin mint’ look. Or, pour your chocolate into a plastic bag, cut off the tip, and drizzle the chocolate across your cookies.
If you try any of these methods, leave a comment below and let us know how it went!
Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 8 ounces chocolate melting wafers
- (optional) sprinkles
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until dough forms.
- Shape into a disc and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut dough in half. Place remaining half back in refrigerator. Dust counter top and rolling pin with flour, roll dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut off rounded edges, leaving you with a large square or rectangle. Slice dough into small rectangles, about 1 inch by 2 inches. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for about 12 minutes. For chocolate cookies you will want to pull them from the oven to make sure the edges are set and the middles are mostly set but still soft. Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool completely before dipping, about 30 minutes.
- Place melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted.
- Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate and tap to remove excess. Place on wax paper or parchment and immediately add sprinkles before chocolate sets. Allow to set for 1 hour at room temperature, or place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Marilyn says
December 15, 2018 at 7:06 pmLove the mint and chocolate together!