The Holidays just wouldn’t be the Holidays with out Candy Canes!
….and well cookies of course.
These Mocha Peppermint Cookies are very festive.
I think if you stuff your pockets full of these, they will help you conquer all your Holiday Craziness.
They will keep your tummy happy and give you a caffeine boost to be able to stay up late and get all the shopping, wrapping, decorating, and the baking completed.
* No real claims to the caffeine boost, I have no idea what type of boost it will give you. They just smell and taste amazing! That I do know.
Roll out and cut cookies on floured surface with cookie cutter.
Keep and eye on cookies when baking a couple minutes will burn most cookies, so set your timer ahead of time so you can watch them carefully. Then you’ll know how accurate your oven temperature is, and if there are any hot spots in your oven.
I use royal icing to outline and flood the cookies. When the icing is still wet, place dots in the center of the candy canes,
drag a toothpick through the center of each dot in a line following the candy cane shape to create the hearts.
Remember when mixing red icing it dries a lot darker. Keep that in mind if you want a bright red. I added more red to the icing as I wanted it a rich dark red against the chocolate cookies when dried.
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1½ cups Gold Medal All Purpose Unbleached Flour
- 1½ tablespoons instant coffee
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Beat lightly softened butter and sugar together in mixer with paddle attachment until light and creamy.
- Add the egg and mix well.
- Mix in vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, and coffee, cocoa and salt.
- Mix until it's all combined on medium until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Roll out dough on floured surface and cut with cookie cutter.
- Place cut out cookie dough on parchment lined baking sheets
- Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes,
- Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
- When cookies are completely cooled.
- Outline and fill cookies with royal icing *recipe in notes
- While the icing is still wet place dots in the icing and drag a toothpick through the dots to create the heart design.
- Practice on a piece of wax paper until you get the hang of it.
- Allow icing to dry on cookies completely before stacking or placing in an airtight container at least 12 hours.
- The icing will keep the cookies fresh without them going stale.
General Mills asked bloggers to create a Holiday Recipe using Gold Medal Flour, all opinions are my own, those are priceless.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
I love the heart detailing here Diane. ♥
Giovanna says
They are beautiful! 🙂
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Yeah, these are super cute!
Jeanette says
Diane – you are the queen of cookies! I wish you lived nearby so you could do some baking for me ;).
Living The Sweet Life says
These are adorable!! I love how they just “hang out” by your morning cup of coffee 🙂 and what a great idea adding the peppermint in the dough – – Mmmmm, delicious!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Love how you made those hearts!!
Glory/ Glorious Treats says
These are so cute and festive! I love the idea of serving them on a mug with a yummy warm drink!
Joan M says
Would love to try these. Question – when you say to use “1 1/2 T instant coffee” do you mean the granules. I’m assuming it’s the granules, but doesn’t that get gritty….or does it break down in mixing? Thanks so much
Diane says
yes it’s the granules, they break down to a powder very easily. You can mash it in a small bowl first before adding it. Mine were very soft, as it’s dehydrated. Instant coffee not regular ground coffee.
Joan M says
Sorry if this is a duplicate. I just noticed I missed a ltr in my email. I was wondering if the instant coffee in the recipe is the granules or if it’s actually coffee made with granules. I’m assuming it is just the granules, but isn’t it kinda gritty…..or does it break down in mixing? Thanks so much.