Chocolate Peppermint Stars

EQUIPMENT:

• Wax paper; parchment paper; 2 large baking sheets; 2- to 3-inch star cookie cutters; small offset spatula (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make Cookies:

• Make Buttery Sugar Cookie dough as directed, but reduce the flour to 1 1/3 cups and add the cocoa. Whisk the flour and cocoa together.
• Halve dough and wrap each half in wax paper, shaping each into a flattened rectangle, then store each half in a resealable plastic bag. Chill dough until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• While oven heats, roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) between two large sheets of wax paper to slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, quick-chill on a baking sheet in the freezer or chill in the refrigerator until firm.)
• Peel back top sheet of wax paper and cut out as many cookies with cutter as possible. Transfer cookies, as cut, to a lined baking sheet, arranging them 1 inch apart. (If dough becomes too soft to remove the cookies, quick-chill on a baking sheet in the freezer or chill in the refrigerator until firm.)
• Gather, reroll, and chill scraps to form more cookies.
• Freeze or chill cut-out cookies on baking sheet until firm before baking.
• Bake cookies, one sheet at time, until edges are a shade darker and centers are set, 9 to 12 minutes. For picture-perfect cookies, use cookie cutters while cookies are hot from the oven to trim edges. (Keep trimmings for snacks.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough. (Cool baking sheets and use fresh parchment between batches.)

Decorate Cookies:

• Using the offset spatula or a small rubber spatula, spread cooled cookies with a thin layer of melted chocolate, then sprinkle with some crushed candy canes.
• Let cookies stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour.

COOKS’ NOTES:

• If you want a real hit of peppermint, replace the vanilla in the Buttery Sugar Cookie dough recipe with 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract.
• For the cleanest edges, keep freezing or chilling the dough between the sheets of wax paper whenever it gets soft, and freeze or chill the cut-out cookies before baking them
• To melt chocolate successfully: Keep chocolate from coming in contact with even the smallest amount of water. Chop the chocolate first, then put it in a dry metal bowl and set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until it is smooth. Alternatively, you can heat it in a microwave-safe bowl. Put the chopped chocolate in the bowl and microwave it at 50% power at 30-second intervals, checking it and stirring it, each time, until it is smooth.
• Cookies keep in an airtight container in single layers, separated by wax paper, in a cool place, 5 days.