I made these cookies for a PTA meeting the other night and everybody liked them. They’re quite rich, so I recommend making the cookies fairly small. One of these sandwiches was more than enough to satisfy my sweet-tooth. I made some of the cookies into sandwiches, but left a number of them as frosted cookies. I thought they’d be better for the boys that way.

These cookies are time-consuming, but they look great on a cookie tray, so if you have some time and you like to bake, they’re worth making sometime during the Christmas season.

My friend Becky loves Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe’s. If you haven’t tried them, they’re like peppermint Oreos. The ultimate compliment I received was from Becky who said my cookies were better than Joe-Joe’s! That’s something coming from Becky.

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Recipe from epicurious.com

Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Filling
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring (optional)

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces) (I crushed mine to a fine powder in a mini food processor)

For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. (I actually used my small ice-cream scoop, then divided each piece of dough into two balls.)  Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 9 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring (optional). Beat until light pink (if using food coloring) and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread  filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Yield:  ~18 sandwich cookies

One year ago: Mac and Cheese
Two years ago: Mahogany Beef Stew with Red Wine and Hoisin Sauce