Chocolate Mint Shortbread

Every holiday cookie box needs a chocolate cookie, as the holidays are a time for indulging.  These shortbread cookies from Christina Wood at Temple Pastries are supremely buttery with a fine crumb, and the mint is not too overpowering. The ganache sends them over the top, making them rich and decadent without being cloyingly sweet. Christina likes to garnish chocolate with gold, as it reflects the richness of the cocoa – she uses large gold dragees here, but gold sprinkles or luster dust can be used as well.

Cookies

227g unsalted butter, room temperature

160g granulated sugar

7g salt

260g all purpose flour

87g cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Ganache

100g heavy whipping cream

100g dark chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Gold dragees or sprinkles

For the cookies:

Place butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until no chunks of butter remain, scraping down the bowl as needed. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda and add it to the butter mixture, along with the peppermint extract. Continue to mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. It will look dry and crumbly but will come together eventually. 

Turn the dough out onto parchment paper and place another piece of parchment on top.  Press the dough out flat, and then with a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/3- inch thick.  Cut out cookies and transfer them to a sheet pan or cookie sheet, leaving about 1/2-inch between the cookies. Chill the cookie cutouts for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, and up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Place the sheet pans in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the centers feel somewhat firm when gently pressed. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the ganache:

Meanwhile, make the ganache. Heat the cream in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat just until warm (do not allow to boil). Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and let sit for two minutes. Add the peppermint extract and gently stir until the ganache comes together, trying not to incorporate any air into the mixture. Allow the ganache to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to firm up before using.  Stir occasionally to check its consistency, it’s ready to use when it feels like peanut butter.

Dab about 1 tablespoon of ganache on each cookie and spread it evenly over the surface, leaving a thin border along the edges. Garnish with dragees or sprinkles as desired.