Brighten up your February with these cheery peppermint mocha cookies!
Sweet peppermint icing over dark chocolate coffee cookies? Yes please!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, these cookies didn’t last long in our house, and my husband is already hoping I will make them again. Not too sweet, but full of rich espresso and peppermint. I think you’ll love them.
Want to know how to make them?
Here you go. (printable recipe)
INGREDIENTS: (makes 36 medium cookies)
Cookies:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
- 1 1/2cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons instant Espresso Powder
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- a little pink food coloring gel
- sprinkles or white chocolate to make the design on top
DIRECTIONS:
Cookies:
- Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in eggs and then cocoa.
- Place vanilla and Espresso Powder
together in a small cup until coffee dissolves. Add this mixture to the batter and mix until completely incorporated.
- Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until smooth (use clean hands at the end, to knead into a soft ball of dough)
- Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
- Allow cookie dough to soften a little at room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Roll out cookie dough on floured counter.
- Cut into circles and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are firm.
- Gently slide parchment paper off of cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Cool completely before removing cookies from paper.
Icing:
- Beat together all ingredients and add powdered sugar until it becomes a thick glaze consistency.
- Place in a zip-top bag fitted with a small round piping tip.
- Pipe icing around edges of cookie and allow this to harden.
- Fill center of cookie with icing, spreading it to the edges that have hardened.
- To make coffee or heart design, pipe lines on top of cookie with white chocolate, and pull a toothpick through to form design. Otherwise (much easier!) sprinkle with some crushed peppermint or heart sprinkles!
- Let icing harden and ENJOY!!!
My thoughts: These are easy to make, and they keep in an air-tight container for at least a week (and freeze well). I spent way too much time making coffee froth designs on the top, and when I make them again they will just have sprinkles. I really hope you get a chance to try these!!! Enjoy! ~r
Other cute Valentine’s Day ideas to try (click on photo to see recipe):
EASYBAKED 