Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Cookies

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1 tsp GF vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract (See Notes)

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour or 1 cup Trader Joe’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour    

   or 1 cup of your favorite GF flour blend + ¼ tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour already

   contains)

½ cup + 2 tbsp GF unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp instant coffee granules (I like Café Bustelo) or 2 tsp of your favorite expresso powder

1/8 tsp salt (omit if you are using salted butter)

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can also use regular size)

Icing

8 oz white chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped

3 large candy canes, crushed or about ¼ cup of crushed peppermint candy

Whisk together flour, xanthan gum (if using), cocoa powder, baking soda, coffee or espresso & salt. Set aside

In large bowl, on medium speed beat butter, sugar & brown sugar until light & fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add egg, vanilla & peppermint extract & beat on high until thoroughly combined, scraping down sides & bottom of bowl as needed.

Add flour mixture gradually while mixing on low speed until completely combined. (It will get messy if you turn up the mixer speed!)

Beat in chocolate chips.

Chill for at least 3 hours & up to overnight. (The dough is VERY sticky if you don’t chill it)

When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove from refrigerator & let set at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, until it is soft enough to handle.

Roll into balls, using about a heaping tablespoon. Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. The cookies will spread, so place 2-3 inches apart.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, until the edges look set & the center still looks soft. At 8 minutes, check the cookies, & if they are not spreading out, firmly smack the baking sheet on the counter a few times. You will notice the cookies flatten out a little bit. (I know this is counter-intuitive if you do much baking, but it is important! You want the cookies to be a little flat.)

Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove to wire rack to finish cooling. (Don’t put away the baking sheets & parchment paper just yet. Keep them to use after you have dipped the cookies.)

When cookies have cooled completely, melt chopped white chocolate. Melting can be done in a double boiler or a heavy saucepan, over low heat & stirring frequently to prevent burning. Or you can melt it in the microwave, but use 10-15 second increments, stirring in between so it does not burn.

Dip each cookie to cover one half & place on saved parchment paper. Sprinkle crushed candy canes/peppermint on chocolate. *The chocolate may set fairly quickly, so I recommend dipping a few cookies, then sprinkle those with the peppermint – otherwise it won’t stick. Then dip a few more, & so on.

If your kitchen is fairly cool, the cookies should set fine. But it’s always toasty in my kitchen, so I set the baking sheets in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to set the chocolate.

Notes:

This recipe is base on one on sallysbakingaddiction.com/peppermint-mocha-cookies. Thanks Sally! I made some adjustments because the dough for cookies made with GF flour tends to be much stiffer when it is refrigerated.

I use McCormick’s peppermint extract, which their website says is gluten free. Check out my blog post “A Guide to Gluten Free Products” for more info about vanilla & other extracts.