Mint Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 4½ dozen cookies

Cookie Dough:
1    cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
²⁄³ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½   teaspoon kosher salt
8    tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted
      butter, cut into 1-inch pieces,
      room temperature
½   cup granulated sugar
1    large egg, room temperature
1½ teaspoons peppermint extract
½   teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating:
8    ounces semisweet chocolate,
      finely chopped
¾   teaspoon peppermint extract
      pinch kosher salt

Nutritional information per cookie:
Calories 43 (51% from fat) • carb. 5g • pro. 1g fat 3g • sat. fat 1g • chol. 8mg • sod. 12mg
calc. 5mg • fiber 1g

1. Put the flour, cocoa powder, and salt
into a medium mixing bowl. Using the
beaters, mix on Speed 1 to fully combine,
about 30 seconds. Reserve.
2. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl.
Mix on Speeds 2 to 3 until creamy, then
add the sugar. Mix on Speeds 2 to 3
until light, then add the egg and extracts
and mix until fully combined. Add the
dry ingredients and mix on Speed 2 until
evenly mixed (it will most likely not be a
complete dough; that is OK, as long as
there are no dry patches).
3. Divide the dough into two even pieces.
Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap
on a clean work surface. Wet hands with
cold water, so they are slightly wet. Take
one portion of dough and form into a
10-inch cylinder/log and try your best to
smooth out the outer surface. Roll tightly
in the plastic wrap. Once wrapped in the
plastic, roll back and forth a few times
to even out the cylinder, to be sure there
are no are gaps or other imperfections.
Repeat with remaining dough. If the
dough is sticking a lot, either chill it for
about 10 minutes, or very lightly dust the
dough with flour.
4. Chill the dough cylinders for a minimum
of 2 hours, or up to overnight (they can
also be frozen, if wrapped very well, for
up to 1 month).
5. Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in
the middle position. Line two baking
sheets with parchment paper.
6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the dough
into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Place on the
prepared baking sheets. Put one pan in
the oven to bake and the other in the
refrigerator to stay cold. Bake the cookies
for 6 to 8 minutes. They will be set,
but the tops will still seem a bit soft.
Remove and repeat with remaining
dough. Cool completely before coating
with the chocolate.
7. While the cookies are cooling, prepare
the chocolate coating. Put the chopped
chocolate, peppermint extract, and salt
in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of
simmering water (or a double boiler/
bain-marie). Once the chocolate is mostly
melted, remove from the heat and stir to
finish melting. Stir to cool slightly. You do
not want the chocolate too warm, just
about body temperature.
8. Once the cookies are cool and the
chocolate is the right temperature, line
a baking pan with parchment or foil and
set a cooling rack inside of it. Dip the
cookies in the chocolate so they are
completely coated. Remove and place
on the cooling rack and continue with the
remaining cookies. This is a messy task,
so disposable gloves are recommended.
9. Transfer the coated cookies to the
refrigerator and chill for about 1 hour, or
alternatively, to the freezer for 20 minutes.
10. These are best served chilled, and can be
stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week,
or the freezer for up to 3 weeks.