New and improved! Easy Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are delicious buttery chocolate treats that are baked to perfection and topped with a colorful red and white chocolate peppermint kiss.
They are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie and candy-baking trays. I love to include them on my Christmas trays with chocolate-covered cherries, Buckeye Balls, Spritz Cookies, and Butter Cookies.
Well, it is baking season again. I just love this time of the year with all of its festive fun. Christmas cookies are a super fun tradition in our house, and with a little planning, it can be done without losing your mind. Most baked cookies are super freezer-friendly, and with just a few hints, you can master the art of freezing cookies. These cookies are so easy, delicious, and super freezer-friendly. This recipe calls for white chocolate peppermint kisses, and they do go fast this time of year, so plan accordingly. There is also dough chilling time, so allow time for that in your schedule as well.
Why this recipe works!
- These fun and festive cookies are perfect for the holiday season. They will complement any cookie or candy tray beautifully.
- These scrumptious treats freeze very well. Therefore they can be prepared in advance, frozen, and then brought out to thaw just in time for all the festivities.
- These cookies are a cinch to make. Even the novice chef can handle these cuties with just a little measuring, mixing, and rolling.
How do you freeze Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies?
The cookies should be fully cooled before freezing. Carefully pack the cookies in double Ziploc freezer bags and place them in sturdy Gladware containers. When defrosting, take them out of the frozen containers and place them on serving trays or platters uncovered until they defrost. Then, store in airtight containers. Never allow them to defrost in the plastic and the containers. The condensation that builds in there can ruin the cookies.
How do you make Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies?
First, throw the peppermint kisses in the freezer for about 2 hours before you start the rest of the recipe. Using a mixer, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Then, mix in the vanilla extract.
Now in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts. Blend after each addition just until combined scraping down the side of the mixer bowl as needed. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours up to overnight.
The dough will be kind of sticky, so butter your hands and roll the dough into a little less than 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper or silicone mats. Bake for about 7-8 minutes. While the cookies are baking, unwrap the frozen kisses. Allow the cookies to cool for 3 minutes only, and then gently press 1 peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie. Move to cookie cooling racks being very careful not to touch the chocolate as it may be soft.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Always preheat the oven and load your cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- For best results, freeze the kisses two hours before starting the recipe. This will help keep the kisses from melting when you place them on the top of the cookies.
- I really like Land O Lakes butter. It is the only butter I use for my cookie baking anymore.
- The dough works best when chilled for 3 hours up to overnight.
- When we took this recipe back to the test kitchen (also known as Beth’s kitchen), we found that the vanilla extract tasted better. However, feel free to use peppermint extract instead, but cut it down to 3/4 teaspoon so it is not overpowering.
- Gently press the kiss into the top of the cookie, creating a small indentation.
- These cookies can be frozen for four to six weeks. I don’t like to go much further than that because of the white chocolate kiss. Simply double wrap in freezer bags and place in a sturdy container. The dough can be double-wrapped and frozen for two months.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish optimum baking time.
More chocolate recipes you will love!
Peppermint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened preferably Land O Lakes
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 3/4 teaspoon peppermint
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 28 -30 frozen peppermint kisses
Instructions
- Cream butter and both sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low, add egg yolks one at a time, and mix just until incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Whisk together flour, baking cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts. Blend on low after each addition just until combined, scraping down the side of the mixer bowl as needed. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Butter hands and roll dough into a little less than 1-inch balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with 1-2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool for 3 minutes only. Press 1 peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie. Carefully move the cookies to wire racks without touching the peppermint kiss as it may be soft.
Notes
- Always preheat the oven and load your cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- For best results, freeze the kisses two hours before starting the recipe. This will help keep the kisses from melting when you place them on the top of the cookies.
- I really like Land O Lakes butter. It is the only butter I use for my cookie baking anymore.
- The dough works best when chilled for 3 hours up to overnight.
- When we took this recipe back to the test kitchen (also known as Beth's kitchen), we found that the vanilla extract tasted better. However, feel free to use peppermint extract instead, but cut it down to 3/4 teaspoon so it is not overpowering.
- Gently press the kiss into the top of the cookie, creating a small indentation.
- These cookies can be frozen for four to six weeks. I don’t like to go much further than that because of the white chocolate kiss. Simply double wrap in freezer bags and place in a sturdy container. The dough can be double-wrapped and frozen for two months.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish optimum baking time.
Nutrition
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Stancil
I made these cookies today with my kids and they were amazing!! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Stancil! So glad that you and the kids liked them!
Anne
The rich moist chocolate flavor is close to the decadence of brownies. Paired with the peppermint kiss, it is perfection. This is a cookie I make every year now for Christmas. Thanks for this recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Anne! Merry Christmas!
Erin
I LOVE making these cookies! I am not a great baker, but the instructions are easy to follow! They look pretty on the plate and the peppermint is a perfect holiday indulgence. I freeze any remaining cookies and take them out periodically when I want a treat- microwave for 45 seconds and add a dollop of ice cream- heavenly 🙂
Beth Pierce
Thanks Erin! So glad that you like them. What a great idea with the ice cream!
Aileen
I think the note that the dough needs to be refrigerated for 3 hours should be at the top of the instructions rather than to preheat the oven. Unfortunately, the first batch I made I tripled (rookie mistake) and it did not come out well. The cookies spread out. My baking powder was old so trying again with one batch. I am not an experienced baker so the results may have been user error. I will try again and hope for better results. The cookies tasted good, they just didn’t look very pretty.
Beth Pierce
So sorry to hear about your cookies. I will have to correct the preheating of the oven and move it down further. That should not be like that. Do a test run with 1-2 cookies to determine if the dough has been chilled enough. I also only use Land O Lakes butter anymore. I have found it superior to all other butters when it comes to cookie baking.