Description
Sweet holiday magic blooms with chocolate peppermint cookie cups, a festive dessert combining rich chocolate and cool mint. Guests will devour these delightful mini treats that seamlessly blend creamy peppermint filling with chocolate cookie perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups (157 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (85 grams) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 large egg
Sweeteners and Fats:
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) brown sugar
Flavor and Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) heavy cream
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and generously coat a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Create a smooth butter mixture by whipping granulated and brown sugars with butter until light and airy.
- Incorporate egg, vanilla, and peppermint extracts into the butter mixture, ensuring thorough blending.
- Separately combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then gradually fold into the wet ingredients until a cohesive dough forms.
- Craft small, uniform dough spheres and nestle them into each muffin well, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake the cookie bases for 8-10 minutes until edges appear firm and slightly crisp.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, gently press a small indentation into the center of each warm cookie using a teaspoon’s back.
- Allow cookies to cool briefly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Melt chocolate chips with heavy cream in short microwave intervals, stirring between each to create a smooth ganache.
- Infuse the chocolate mixture with peppermint extract for an enhanced flavor profile.
- Carefully fill each cookie cup’s center with the glossy chocolate peppermint ganache.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the warm filling for a festive, crunchy topping.
- Let the filled cookie cups rest at room temperature or expedite setting by chilling for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Customize Texture: Use room temperature butter for a softer, more tender cookie cup that melts in your mouth and ensures even mixing.
- Prevent Spreading: Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling into balls to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to make these cookie cups suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Make Ahead Friendly: Prepare cookie cups and filling separately, storing in airtight containers for up to 3 days, then assemble just before serving for maximum freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg