Thumbprint cookies are seen as kind of fancy, but don't require much effort and a batch of these shortbread Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies have a peppermint icing that couldn't be easier to whip up!
Table of Contents
Ingredients and substitutions for Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies
- Butter: Room temperature unsalted butter was used here, though salted butter would also work if thatโs what you have on hand. Room temperature is best as this combines with the sugar and helps give your cookies that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Sugar: The best sugar here is icing or confectionerโs sugar which dissolves into the butter and due to itโs incredibly fine texture this is the second key to that melt-in-your-mouth result with these cookies. It is not recommended to substitute with another other sugar completely as the texture in the cookies would change.
- Plain flour: Plain or all purpose works best here for a nice shortbread base, however, you could use bread flour in equal measure here if thatโs all you have on hand.
- Cocoa powder: High quality plain cocoa powder is used here to really give that chocolate flavor intensity.
- Corn starch: Sometimes termed cornflour in certain parts of the globe. Corn starch is what gives our cookies a nice crunch.
- Peppermint extract: A nice strong peppermint extract was used here, though you could add in a tiny amount of green natural food coloring, to give it a more minty color.
- Milk: The tiniest little bit of milk gives our peppermint icing filling enough moisture to drip into the thumbprint of our cookies whilst also allowing it to set once it's in place.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies:
Step 1: Whip it: Whip the butter and sugar until pale.
Step 2: Dries: Add all the dry ingredients and combine until smooth.
Step 3: Roll out: Between two sheets of parchment paper and press a round cookie cutter into the dough until all the cookies are cut out.
Step 4: Bake: Until lightly matte and golden at the edges.
Step 5: Minty filling: Stir the filling ingredients together until a loose icing forms. Carefully spoon into the center of your cookies.
Step 6: Serve: Allow the cookies to set before digging in!
FAQ's for the best Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies
If you have a honey drizzle, simply flour the tip of the drizzle and tap to remove the excess and press into the center of your cookie , turning gently to really indent your cookie before you remove your cookie cutter so your cookie remains nice and uniform in shape. Alternatively the back of a teaspoon can also do the trick.
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Chocolate Mint Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortbread
- 150 grams / 5.3 ounces butter softened
- 60 grams / โ cup superfine/caster sugar
- 28 grams / ยผ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 130 grams / ยพ cup + 1 tablespoon plain flour
Peppermint filling
- 54 grams / ยฝ cup + 2 teaspoons confectionerโs/icing sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 28 grams / 2 tablespoons milk
- 1-3 drops green food coloring or ยผ teaspoon matcha powder (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Shortbread
- Preheat the oven to 160ยบC/320F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Toss the butter and sugar into a bowl and whip on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the cornflour, cocoa powder and flour and whip on low until well combined and no dry portions remain in the bowl.
- Place the dough between 2 equal portions of parchment paper and roll out the dough to ยฝ inch thickness.
- Pull away the top piece of the paper and lightly flour the top of the dough to smooth it out.
- Press a round cookie cutter into the edge of your dough and either press firmly into the center with your lightly floured thumb or a lightly floured honey drizzle.
- Lightly slide a thin offset spatula underneath your cookie and lift up, lightly pressing the top of your edges to loosen away from the cookie cutter.
- Place onto the prepared tray with 1 inch between each cookie.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake in the oven until lightly matte in appearance, approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove and place on a cooling tray to cool completely.
Peppermint Filling
- Place the confectionerโs sugar, peppermint extract and milk in a bowl and combine until smooth.
- Spoon into the centers of your cookies and set aside for the icing to set completely.
- Grab one or two and enjoy alongside your favorite hot beverage.
- Dig in!
Notes
- Cocoa powder: High quality plain cocoa powder is used here to really give that chocolate flavor intensity.
- Peppermint extract: A nice strong peppermint extract was used here, though you could add in a tiny amount of green natural food coloring, to give it a more minty color.
- Diameter of the cookie cutter: The cookie cutter used here was 4 centimeters or 1.6 inches, making for a small-medium sized cookie.
- Honey drizzle: So this isnโt necessary, but if youโre a stickler for having a consistent โthumbprintโ a honey drizzle lightly coated in flour will give you that shape. Alternatively, youโll want to ensure your nails are short if using a thumb to leave a nice indent.
- Thumbprint shape: The thumbprint shape might rise during baking so simply press after baking to maintain the shape.
Nutrition
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