Chocolate Mint Sparklers offer a subtle hint of peppermint

It’s not the holidays without the refreshing taste of peppermint, but a lot of cookies that infuse peppermint have a sickly sweet candy cane flavour that can be off-putting. These cookies, which appeared in the 2015 cookie calendar, have a more subtle hint of peppermint and an irresistible gooey centre. The turbinado sugar coating gives the cookies a little shimmer, perfect for celebrations.
Chocolate Mint Sparklers
1/2 cup (125 mL) room temperature unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80 mL) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp (2 mL) peppermint extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (215 mL) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (160 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (125 mL) white chocolate chips
1/3 cup (80 mL) turbinado sugar, for rolling
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high, cream butter and both sugars until smooth and fluffy. Mix in egg and peppermint extract.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture, slowly, and mix on low until well-incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips using a wooden spoon.
Place turbinado sugar in a bowl. Scoop 1 tbsp (15 mL) balls of dough and roll in turbinado. Place balls two inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake in batches for 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are firm but still soft in centre. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days or freeze up to a month. Alternatively, freeze dough after shaping into balls and rolling into sugar, and bake from frozen for 14 to 16 minutes.
Makes about 30 cookies.
[email protected]