Cookie Exchange!!!

Some friends of mine and I have been particiapting in a cookies exchage for year.  This weekend was our 14th annual.  This was my cookie this year.  It is SOOO good. 

 

Chocolate Peppermint Stars

(modified from a Martha Stewart recipe in Living)

Makes 24

20 round hard peppermint candies

1 ¼ Cup flour

¾ cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

¼ t salt

2 t instant espresso powder

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1.       Ground peppermint candies in food processor.

2.       Preheat oven to 325

3.       Combine dry ingredients (Flour, cocoa, salt, espresso powder)

4.       Beat butter and sugar with mixer until combined.  Add egg and vanilla.  Reduce to low and add dry ingredients.  Mix until combined.

5.       Shape into disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

6.       Roll out on floured surface to ¼”. 

7.       Cut out 4” star shaped shapes.  Cut a ¾” hole out in the middle of each star using a cake tip. Transfer to baking sheet lined w/ parchment paper.

8.       Bake 12 minutes

9.       Remove from oven.  Fill hole with ground peppermint candies, then using a fine sieve dust entire star with ground peppermint candies.  Bake for 7 more minutes.

10.   Cool on baking sheet.

Here we go...... 

unwrap all the peppermint candies (or have a kid do it) and chop them up.  This will be LOUD by the way.

Just like that.

Throw all the dry stuff in a bowl and whisk.  Or in my case 4 bowls since I needed to make several batches for my exchange....

Beat the butter & sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Then dump in the dry stuff. and mix....

Wrap & chill for 2 hours or more.

Flour your suface.

 Throw the dough down.

Tip.  If you have trouble getting dough to a specific thickness take a toothpick and mark what you are shooting for 1/8" or 1/4"... whatever.  Then roll the dough out.

And poke the toothpick in.  If you meet the line you were shooting for you did it!  If not, adjust...

So roll out and cut.

Here we go.  This is the stars w/ the holes cut.  Throw them in the 325 oven for 12 mintues.

Then pull them out.  Fill that hole w/ peppermint candies.

All of them.

Then make it snow.  Peppermint snow!!

Until they are all covered.  Then bake again for 7 mintues.

There we go.  By now your house should smell amazing.

Enjoy!