Brownie Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

By Pate Giltner
Images
Brownie Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
Serves
Makes about a dozen
Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup high-quality dark chocolate (chips or chopped baking bars)
  • ½ cup butter, cut into cubes 
  • 1 cup brown sugar 
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder 
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder -3/4
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 

For the frosting:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 ¼  tsp peppermint extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
Procedure
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Melt the chocolate and the butter by melting them in the microwave. Do this by combining the chocolate and butter in a microwave-proof bowl and microwaving it at 20-second increments until it's 90% melted. Stir thoroughly between increments and stir at the end until all the chips have melted. 
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.  
  • Beat the sugar, eggs, and mint extract on high for 5 minutes.
  • Fold the melted chocolate into the egg and sugar mixture. 
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the batter. 
  • Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the baking sheets. Place the cookies 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet. 
  • Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
  • Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a large dollop of frosting on the bottom side of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies.

Brownie Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

By Pate Giltner
Serves
Makes about a dozen
Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup high-quality dark chocolate (chips or chopped baking bars)
  • ½ cup butter, cut into cubes 
  • 1 cup brown sugar 
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder 
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder -3/4
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 

For the frosting:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 ¼  tsp peppermint extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
Procedure
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • Melt the chocolate and the butter by melting them in the microwave. Do this by combining the chocolate and butter in a microwave-proof bowl and microwaving it at 20-second increments until it's 90% melted. Stir thoroughly between increments and stir at the end until all the chips have melted. 
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.  
  • Beat the sugar, eggs, and mint extract on high for 5 minutes.
  • Fold the melted chocolate into the egg and sugar mixture. 
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the batter. 
  • Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the baking sheets. Place the cookies 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet. 
  • Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
  • Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a large dollop of frosting on the bottom side of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies.