Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
• 1 cup salted butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ⅛ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• ⅓ cup crushed candy canes

Directions:

1. Stir together the hot water and espresso powder in a small bowl until the expresso dissolves.
2. Beat the butter and powdered sugar in a medium size making bowl with a heavy-duty electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth, do this for about 2 minutes. Then beat in the expresso mixture and peppermint extract until it’s combined. Next whisk the flour and cocoa together in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat on low speed until it’s fully combined.
3. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into 5 inch long, 2 ½ inch wide, 1 inch high rectangle. Wrap dough rectangle tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven 350 degrees° F. Unwrap the dough rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswire into 20(¼ inch thick) laces, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets on wire racks for 3 minutes; transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
5. Microwave the bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil in a small microwavable bowl on high until melted and smooth, 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in the corn syrup. Next dip one end of the cooled cookies (one at a time) into the melted chocolate with crushed candy canes. Then chill until set , about 5 minutes, or let stand at room temperature until set, for about 20 minutes.
6. Lastly enjoy your peppermint-dipped mocha butter cookie!

Yields 20 cookies.