Description
When the holidays roll around, cookies that feel nostalgic and a little dressed up always steal the spotlight. These chocolate mint thumbprint cookies hit that sweet spot perfectly, blending rich cocoa flavor with a smooth, refreshing mint center that feels right at home on any Christmas cookie tray.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Mint Filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Green food coloring (optional)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for finishing
Instructions
- Get the oven ready
- Heat your oven to 350°F. If you’re using convection, lower the temperature to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Tip: Butter should feel soft but not shiny or greasy—press it lightly and it should give without melting.
- Mix the cookie dough
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, mixing just until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing only until the dough comes together. If the dough feels crumbly, add milk or cream one teaspoon at a time until it holds.
- Shape the cookies
- Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into smooth balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Press an indentation into the center of each dough ball using your thumb or the back of a spoon. If cracks appear, gently pinch and smooth the edges back together.
- Bake
- Bake one tray at a time for 9–11 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. The edges should look set while the centers remain soft.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Reminder: Cookies firm up as they cool—don’t overbake.
- Prepare the mint filling
- In a medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add peppermint extract and just enough milk or cream to create a thick but spoonable consistency.
- If using food coloring, add a drop or two and stir until evenly tinted. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
- Fill the cookies
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, pipe or spoon a small amount of mint filling into each indentation. Keep the filling level with the cookie surface rather than piled high.
- If the centers puffed up during baking, gently press them down before filling.
- Add the chocolate topping
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts, stirring between each interval until smooth. Drizzle lightly over the filled cookies or add a small dot of chocolate to the center.
- Fix-it tip: If chocolate thickens too quickly, stir in a tiny amount of neutral oil to smooth it out.
- Set and serve
- Allow the cookies to sit until the filling and chocolate firm up—about 30 minutes at room temperature or 10–15 minutes in the refrigerator. Serve once set.
- Storage & make-ahead options
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Keeps well for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. You can also freeze baked, unfilled cookies and add the filling after thawing.
- Filling prep: Mint filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for several days—stir before using.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 120–140 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g