Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

This final shortbread recipe is the one I marked “Superb!” on the file card I mentioned in my introductory post.

Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cookies:

To Prepare Cookies:

¾ c. (180 mL) butter, softened

½ c. (125 mL) icing sugar (confectioners sugar or powdered sugar)

¼ tsp. (1.25 mL) peppermint extract

One 1 oz. (28 g) square unsweetened chocolate, melted

1-½ c. (375 mL) all-purpose flour

1 c. (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Unsweetened cocoa powder, as required

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Combine butter, icing sugar, peppermint extract, and melted baking chocolate in mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed 1-to-2 min. until creamy, scraping bowl often. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour, beating 1-to-2 min. until dough forms a ball. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-covered baking sheet. Flatten to 1-¼-in. circle with bottom of glass dipped in unsweetened cocoa powder. Bake 5-to-7 min., until set. Do not over-bake. Let stand 2 min. before removing from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire rack.

For more shortbread recipes, see One Click: Shortbread.

To Prepare Chocolate-Peppermint Frosting:

1 c. (250 mL) icing sugar (confectioners sugar or powdered sugar)

2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter, softened

1 tbsp. (15 mL) milk

¼ tsp. (1.25 mL) peppermint extract

1 drop green food coloring

½ tsp. (2.5 mL) vegetable oil shortening

¼ c. (60 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine icing sugar, butter, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring in small mixer bowl. Beat at low speed until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add more milk 1 tsp. (5 mL) at a time. Frost cooled cookies. Place on waxed paper (or parchment paper). In a glass measuring cup, melt shortening together with chocolate chips in microwave at 60% power, stirring every 30 sec. until most chips have melted, about 1 min. Remove from microwave and continue stirring until smooth. Drizzle chocolate in measuring cup over cookies. Cool until chocolate is fully set. Makes 2-½ dozen cookies.

Chocolate-Peppermint Shortbread Cookies: 
Mouth-watering! Best shortbread ever!