Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Peppermint White Chocolate Dip
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 3 to 4 candy canes, crushed into small pieces
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough and Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. The mixture should be uniformly dark brown with no streaks of white flour visible.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth and slightly thick, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously until the mixture is glossy and well combined — it should look like a shiny, dark caramel.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold with a spatula until just combined. The dough will be thick, fudgy, and deeply chocolate-scented. Do not overmix — a few small streaks of flour are fine. Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the sheet from the oven and use the back of a spoon to gently flatten each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes. The cookies will look slightly underdone and matte on top — that is exactly right. They will firm up as they cool. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They should feel soft in the center but hold their shape when lifted.
Dip in Peppermint White Chocolate
- Place the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each one, until the chocolate is completely melted and glossy — this usually takes 3 to 4 rounds. Be patient and stir thoroughly between each burst; white chocolate scorches easily. Once smooth, stir in the peppermint extract. The mixture should smell cool and minty.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted white chocolate, letting the excess drip off for a moment, then place it on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Immediately sprinkle the wet chocolate generously with crushed candy canes — the pieces should stick and glitter like little jewels. Repeat with all the cookies.
- Let the cookies sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes until the white chocolate has set completely — it will look smooth, opaque, and firm to the touch. Once set, the cookies are ready to serve or package.