Chocolate-Peppermint Puddle Cookies

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen

I think chocolate and peppermint is one of the best flavor combos, so naturally these thumbprints are some of my favorite Christmas cookies. I’m a sucker for dark chocolate so I like bittersweet bars for the ganache filling. If you prefer a sweeter version, semi-sweet chocolate is also a great option.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tbsp. heavy cream, divided

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Crushed candy canes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add egg yolk, and beat until combined.

Stir together flour and cocoa powder. Add to butter mixture, and beat until combined. Beat in 1 Tbsp. heavy cream and vanilla.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart. Use the end of a wooden spoon to make indentations in the center of cookies. Bake, in batches, 12 minutes or until cookies are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool, and reform indentations with spoon, if needed.

While cookies bake, make ganache filling. Melt chocolate with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Fill each indentation with chocolate ganache and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.