This post is sponsored by Pamela’s Products.
These gluten-free chocolate peppermint thumbprints are festive, delicious, and a snap to make with just one flour!
Happy cookie season! As soon as Thanksgiving is over, baking cookies is pretty much all I want to do, and these gluten-free chocolate peppermint thumbprints are going to be happening over and over again this year and for many years to come. The pairing of a buttery cookie and a rich chocolate ganache, both with just the right amount of peppermint flavor, is really hard to resist. That’s what’s so special about thumbprints–the combination of textures leads to such a satisfying chew.
To keep things easy, these chocolate peppermints are made with just one flour–Pamela’s All-Purpose Flour Gluten-free Artisan Blend. It’s free of common allergens like nuts, dairy, and of course, gluten, and includes all the flours you need to get a great bake (can you tell by my use of “bake” as a noun that I’ve been watching The Great British Baking Show?) without measuring out a million different things.
I knew my husband and I would both love these cookies because we’re huge fans of everything mint chocolate, but was happily surprised that they were also a big hit with some people outside my imagined target audience. My friend Lindsey, who doesn’t like chocolate very much (shocking, I know) came over for lunch and tried a cookie. She immediately said, “These are so good! I LOVE the texture!” and wanted to take several home to share with her son.
I brought a box of these when I went with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law on our annual mall trip to buy Christmas dresses for my nieces, and everyone had one in the car on the way there. My youngest niece, who’s five and not very big on sweets (she regularly leaves small pieces of birthday cake unfinished!), said it was the best cookie she’d ever had. My easier-to-please older nieces loved them, too. On the way back home, they all asked for a second one. The moral of the story is that these gluten-free chocolate peppermint thumbprints will win everyone over and are guaranteed to disappear quickly!
If you’re looking for more gluten-free options for your cookie-baking days (and who isn’t??), Pamela’s has tons of great recipes using their flours. I’m especially excited about the gorgeous stained glass window cookies and the intriguing chai-spiced snowballs. The eggnog slice and bake cookies also caught my eye! And if you’d like to continue on the thumbprint track, my almond butter thumbprints with salted caramel would complement these chocolate peppermint ones perfectly.
To make your holiday cookie preparation extra fun, Pamela’s is giving away the ultimate cookie prize pack every Friday this month over on their Facebook page! Give them a like and stop back by their page on Friday to make sure you don’t miss out. Happy baking!
- 1½ sticks butter (12 tablespoons), at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1¾ cups Pamela’s All-Purpose Flour Gluten-free Artisan Blend
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chunks or bittersweet chocolate chips (about 5 ounces)*
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 mini candy canes, crushed (optional)
- NOTE: Prep time listed is hands-on time and does not include two hours for the ganache to set before serving.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, honey, vanilla, and extracts and beat for two more minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice.
- Add the cocoa powder and beat on the lowest speed to make sure it doesn’t go flying, then increase to medium and beat until well combined.
- Add Pamela’s All-Purpose Flour Gluten-free Artisan Blend, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, and beat until just combined. Remove the paddle attachment and use a rubber spatula to make sure the dough is well mixed.
- Use a ¾-ounce ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure to portion out heaping tablespoons of dough, then roll each into a ball with your hands** and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure the cookies are two inches apart. You should have about 18 balls. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until dry and puffed up in the middle.
- Right after the cookies come out, press the back of your scoop or tablespoon measure into the center of each cookie to reinforce the indentation. Let the cookies cool on the pan.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the ganache. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
- Use a teaspoon to put a dollop of ganache in the middle of each cookie, swirling with the back of the spoon to make a pretty spiral on top if desired. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if using.
- Let the cookies sit at room temperature for at least two hours for the ganache to firm up before serving (although there’s no judgment if you try one warm, the ganache is irresistibly chewy once it’s fully set). Cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
**The dough will be a bit sticky but you should still be able to roll it; if not, pop the dough into the freezer for ten minutes and then proceed.
This post is sponsored by Pamela’s Products. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help keep A Calculated Whisk up and running!
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