Chocolate thumbprint cookies are a fun twist on these traditional holiday cookies topped off with crushed candy canes.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Chilling1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Servings: 24
Ingredients
1cupbutterroom temperature
3/4cupgranulated sugar
1egg
1teaspoonpeppermint extractor vanilla extract
2 1/2cupsall purpose flour
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
1/4teaspoonsalt
Filling
1/2cupchocolate chips - white chocolatesemi sweet chocolate, dark chocolate or whatever you like
2candy canescrushed
Instructions
Put the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape the bowl. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
1 cup butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Add the egg and vanilla to the mixer bowl and beat again for 1 minute, until everything is well combined.
1 egg, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to mix. Put the mixer on low speed and slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Chill the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Then refrigerate it for at least one hour or as much as 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350 F. Put parchment paper or silicone baking mats on your baking sheets.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and put them on the cookie sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each ball. Use your thumb or a rounded teaspoon to make a well in the center of each cookie.
Do not fill the indent in the cookies until they have baked and cooled.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until they are just starting to turn golden brown.
While the cookies are baking crush the candy canes by putting them in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
2 candy canes
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then fill them with the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate chips in a plastic zippered bag. Microwave the bag with the chips in it for 30 seconds, then take it out and knead it to mix. If it is not quite melted enough put it back in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted.
1/2 cup chocolate chips - white chocolate
Snip off one corner of the bag and use the chocolate to fill the wells in the cookies. Sprinkle crushed candy cane pieces on top of the chocolate.
Move the cookies to wire racks to finish cooling and let the chocolate harden.
Store in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
Notes
Use peppermint extract to emphasize the peppermint flavor or substitute vanilla extract if you prefer.Other than crushed candy canes possible toppings include nuts, sprinkles, mini M&Ms or powdered sugar.