Arrange the cold dough 2-3 inches apart on baking sheets, then bake.
Of course, you can still use your thumb if that’s easiest for you.
Unlike most thumbprint cookies where you bake the cookies WITH the filling inside, you actually bake today’s thumbprints WITHOUT the ganache filling inside. (Baked ganache is not a good idea!) Since the indented cookies are empty, they’re going to puff up in the oven and lose some of that thumbprint indentation. See photo on the left above.
Chop chocolate into tiny pieces. Use chocolate labeled “baking chocolate” that’s sold as 4 ounce bars in the baking aisle right next to the chocolate chips. I prefer Ghirardelli or Bakers brands. TIP: The best tool for chopping hard chocolate is a large serrated knife. Pour warm cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until thick and smooth. To make this ganache extra special, add a drop of peppermint extract. Start with only 1/8 teaspoon, then taste it. If you want more, add more. Peppermint extract is VERY potent and if you add too much, your ganache will taste like toothpaste.
The chocolate ganache will eventually set, making these chocolate peppermint thumbprints easy for packing, gifting, and traveling. It’s still creamy when you take that first bite, though– perfectly messy just like all the best Christmas cookies are. ?
.tasty-recipes-image {
float: right; }
.tasty-recipes-yield-scale {
border: 1px solid #979599;
border-radius: 2px;
color: #979599;
margin-left: 3px;
padding: 0 4px;
font-size: 0.7rem; }
.tasty-recipes-scale-container {
float: right;
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.tasty-recipes-scale-container button {
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.tasty-recipes-scale-container button.tasty-recipes-scale-button-active {
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padding-bottom: 0.5em;
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a.tasty-recipes-print-button {
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a.tasty-recipes-print-button:hover {
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.tasty-recipes-equipment .tasty-link-card {
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.tasty-recipes-plug a {
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.tasty-recipes-plug a img {
width: 150px;
height: auto;
margin: 5px 0 0 8px;
display: inline-block; }
@media print {
.tasty-recipes-no-print,
.tasty-recipes-no-print * {
display: none !important; } }
.tasty-recipes {
margin-bottom: 4em;
max-width: 700px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.tasty-recipes.tasty-recipes-has-plug {
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}
.tasty-recipes-plug {
margin-bottom: 4em;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-button {
display: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-image-shim {
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clear: both;
}
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padding-top: 2em;
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padding-right: 2em;
}
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}
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}
@media only screen and (min-width: 730px) {
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-image {
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margin-right: 16px;
}
}
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float: none;
height: 150px;
width: 150px;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-header-content {
min-height: 215px;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header h2 {
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margin-top: 0;
padding-top: 0;
padding-bottom: 0;
clear: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header hr {
border: 1px solid #eee;
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margin-top: 1em;
margin-right: -2em;
margin-left: -2em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-rating-outer {
width: 100%;
}
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font-size: 18px;
}
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margin-right: 2px;
margin-left: 2px;
color: #aaaaaa;
}
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}
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color: #B7BBC6;
font-size: .6875em;
margin-top: 1em;
position: absolute;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-rating-stars .post-ratings {
font-size: 10px;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-rating-stars .post-ratings .tasty-recipes-cf-ratings-label {
margin-top: 0;
line-height: 1;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details {
margin-top: 1.5em;
color: #606060;
}
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}
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margin-left: 0;
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margin-right: .5em;
margin-bottom: 0;
font-size: 1em;
line-height: 1.8em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details .detail-icon {
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}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details .tasty-recipes-label {
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margin-right: .2em;
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.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details {
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}
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clear: both;
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width: 100%;
}
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}
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-buttons a {
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text-align: center;
display: block;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
font-size: 1em;
line-height: 1.375em;
font-weight: bold;
padding-top: 7px;
padding-bottom: 7px;
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border: 1px solid #aaaaaa;;
border-radius: 0;
text-decoration: none;
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border: 3px solid #aaaaaa;
color: #aaaaaa;
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.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-buttons img.svg-print,
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-buttons img.svg-pinterest {
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}
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 450px) {
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float: none;
}
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width: 50%;
padding-right: 5px;
float: left;
}
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width: 50%;
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float: right;
padding-top: 0;
}
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 730px) {
.tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-buttons {
padding-left: 166px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.tasty-recipes-header-content {
position: relative;
}
.tasty-recipes-header-content .tasty-recipes-rating-outer {
position: absolute;
top: 155px;
width: 150px;
text-align: center;
}
.tasty-recipes-header-content .tasty-recipes-rating-label {
display: block;
position: static;
margin-top: 0;
}
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content h3 {
color: initial;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content h4 {
font-size: 1em;
padding-top: 0;
margin-bottom: 1.5em;
margin-top: 1.5em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content hr {
background-color: #eee;
border: 1px solid #eee;
margin-top: 1em;
margin-bottom: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-description,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-keywords {
padding-left: 2em;
padding-right: 2em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-description p {
margin-bottom: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ul,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions ul {
list-style-type: none;
margin-left: 0;
margin-bottom: 1.5em;
padding: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ul li,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions ul li {
margin-bottom: .625em;
list-style-type: none;
position: relative;
margin-left: 2.5em;
line-height: 1.46;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ul li:before,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions ul li:before {
background-color: #aaaaaa;
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-moz-border-radius: 50%;
border-radius: 50%;
height: .5em;
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content: ” “;
left: -1.25em;
top: .375em;
position: absolute;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ol,
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counter-reset:li;
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padding: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ol > li,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions ol > li {
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position: relative;
margin-bottom: 1em;
margin-left: 2.5em;
line-height: 1.46;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ol > li:before,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions ol > li:before {
content:counter(li);
counter-increment: li;
position: absolute;
background-color: #aaaaaa;
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-moz-border-radius: 50%;
border-radius: 50%;
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width: 1.45em;
color: #FFF;
left: -1.25em;
transform: translateX(-50%);
line-height: 1.5em;
font-size: .6875em;
text-align: center;
top: .1875em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients li li,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions li li {
margin-top: 0.625em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients li ul,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients li ol,
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.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-instructions li ol {
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}
@media only screen and (max-width: 520px) {
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ol,
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}
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-equipment {
padding-left: 2em;
padding-right: 2em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipe-video-embed ~ .tasty-recipes-equipment {
padding-top: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-nutrition {
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padding-left: 2em;
padding-right: 2em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ol {
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margin-bottom: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes p,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ul li,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ol li {
padding-left: 1.5625em;
padding-right: 1.5625em;
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position: relative;
margin-bottom: 1.5em;
list-style-type: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes p,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ul li,
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margin-bottom: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes p:before,
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ul li:before {
content: “i”;
display: block;
background-color: #aaaaaa;
-webkit-border-radius: 50%;
-moz-border-radius: 50%;
border-radius: 50%;
height: 1.3em;
width: 1.3em;
font-size: .75em;
line-height: 1.3em;
text-align: center;
color: #FFF;
position: absolute;
left: 1.167em;
top: 2.1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes ol > li:before {
content:counter(li);
counter-increment: li;
position: absolute;
background-color: #aaaaaa;
-webkit-border-radius: 50%;
-moz-border-radius: 50%;
border-radius: 50%;
height: 1.45em;
width: 1.45em;
color: #FFF;
left: 2em;
transform: translateX(-50%);
line-height: 1.5em;
font-size: .6875em;
text-align: center;
top: 2.3em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-notes p:last-child {
margin-bottom: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-keywords {
margin-top: 1em;
margin-bottom: 1em;
color: #aaaaaa;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-keywords p {
margin-bottom: 0;
font-size: 0.7em;
}
.tasty-recipes-nutrifox {
text-align: center;
margin: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-nutrifox iframe {
width: 100%;
display: block;
margin: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-nutrition ul li {
float: none;
line-height: 2em;
list-style-type: none;
margin-left: 0;
padding-left: 0.833em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer {
background-color: #fff;
padding-top: 1.5625em;
padding-bottom: 1.25em;
padding-left: 2.5em;
padding-right: 2.5em;
text-align: center;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer .tasty-recipes-footer-content {
display: inline-block;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer img {
width: 65px;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer h3 {
font-size: 1.25em;
line-height: 2.25em;
margin-top: .5em;
margin-bottom: .125em;
padding: 0;
line-height: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer p {
margin-bottom: 0;
font-size: .75em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer p a {
text-decoration: underline;
box-shadow: none;
border-bottom: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer:after {
content: ” “;
display: block;
clear:both;
}
@media only screen and (max-width: 520px) {
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer h3 {
margin-top: .5em;
margin-bottom: .5em;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer {
text-align: center;
}
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 520px) {
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer img {
float: left;
}
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer h3,
.tasty-recipes-entry-footer p {
margin-left: 90px;
clear: none;
text-align: left;
}
}
.clearfix:after {
clear: both;
content: ” “;
display: table;
}
/* Print view styles */
.tasty-recipes-print-view {
font-size: 11px;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes-print-button {
display: inline-block;
}
.tasty-recipes-print {
padding:0;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes,
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes-entry-content {
background: #fff;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes {
margin-top: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header {
background-color: inherit;
color: inherit;
padding-bottom: 0;
padding-left: 1em;
padding-right: 1em;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-image {
transform: none;
float: left;
margin-right: 16px;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-header-content {
min-height: 150px;
}
.tasty-recipes-print.tasty-recipes-has-image .tasty-recipes-entry-header h2 {
margin-top: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header h2 {
color: inherit;
margin-bottom: .5em;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header hr {
display: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-header-content .tasty-recipes-rating-outer {
position: initial;
text-align: left;
width: unset;
top: unset;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-rating-stars span {
color: #000;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details ul {
padding: 0;
clear: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details ul li {
line-height: 1.8em;
margin-bottom: 0;
}
.tasty-recipes-print .tasty-recipes-entry-header .tasty-recipes-details .detail-icon {
display: none;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes-source-link {
text-align: center;
}
.tasty-recipes-print-view .tasty-recipes-entry-content .tasty-recipes-ingredients ul li,
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Description
Combining chocolate cookies, chocolate peppermint ganache, and crushed candy canes, these chocolate peppermint thumbprints are extra festive and bound to disappear off cookie platters. Chill the shaped dough for at least 2 hours to help guarantee the cookies hold their shape.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (185g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 teaspoons milk
Ganache
- one 4 ounce semi-sweet chocolate bar (113g), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes (2 large candy canes)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the milk, and mix on low until combined. The cookie dough will be thick.
- Roll balls of dough, a little less than 1 Tablespoon each (about 1 inch balls), and roll each into remaining 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar. Place dough balls onto a large lined baking sheet. Using your thumb or the end of a spatula (see post above), make an indent into each cookie. If you find that the balls are cracking when you make an indent, use your hands to push back together. (Some cracks are bound to happen as the cookies expand in the oven– see my photos. No worries there!)
- Chill the shaped cookies for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer (or up to 4 days in the refrigerator). Cover them if chilling for longer than 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Remove chilled and shaped cookies from the refrigerator. Divide between both baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2-3 inches apart. This recipe yields about 30 cookies, so you’ll have a 3rd batch with only a few cookies on the sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will still look and feel a little soft. Remove from the oven. The indents will have lost some shape or have puffed up, so use the end of a spatula to make an indent again into the warm cookies.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling with ganache.
- For the ganache: Place chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil– that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Stir in the peppermint extract. Taste and add another drop if desired. (It’s potent so don’t go overboard!) Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before spooning into cookies.
- Spoon 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of ganache into each indentation. I fit about 3/4 teaspoon into each. Sprinkle ganache with crushed candy canes. Ganache will thicken inside the cookies and set on the tops after a few hours, but will still be creamy when you bite into the cookies.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Store any leftover ganache in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can make and shape the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, as noted in step 4. Baked and filled (or unfilled) cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- See my Chocolate Ganache post if you need more information on the ganache. I answer a lot of ganache FAQs there!
Keywords: peppermint, candy canes, Christmas cookies, chocolate