Chocolate Mint Meltaways

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This recipe made its way into the Junior League cookbook after receiving the highest scores in its tasting sessions. These little nuggets are made with a cookie press and are an impressive gift cookie.

  • 4

Ingredients

  • Dough:
  • 1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • White Chocolate Layer:
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy or whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (no substitutes)
  • 9 ounces white chocolate squares, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • Dark Chocolate Coating:
  • 9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate squares, chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
  • Decorative Icing
  • Red dot candies, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Beat butter and extracts in a large mixer bowl on medium-high speed until creamy, 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in flour until just combined.

Spoon dough into a cookie press fitted with desired stencil. Press cookies onto prepared sheets 1 inch apart. Bake until edges are golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets, 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

Make White Chocolate Layer: Bring creamand butter to a simmer over medium heat. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in extract. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes. Fill a measuring teaspoon with chocolate and spread on flat side of each cookie. Arrange cookies chocolate side up on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, 30 minutes.

Make Dark Chocolate Coating: Microwave chocolate and shortening on HIGH 2 minutes, until smooth. Fill a measuring teaspoon with coating and spread on top of white chocolate. Arrange cookies chocolate side down on cookie sheet. Chill until dark chocolate sets, 30 minutes. Decorate as desired.