Chocolate and peppermint is a classic combination, especially at the holidays. These are best served the day you bake them.

Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp whipping cream
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

STIR flour with cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

BEAT 1 cup butter with granulated sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 min. Beat in vanilla and egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disc and wrap separately with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours, or over-wrap with heavy foil and freeze up to 1 month.

POSITION oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 2 baking sheets with oil. Dust a rolling pin with flour. Roll a disc of dough no thicker than 1/8 in. Cut out shapes with a 2-in. round, fluted cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets and place about 2 in. apart. Bake in top and bottom thirds of oven, switching and rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are slightly puffed, about 8 min. Repeat with remaining dough. Gather dough scraps and form into a disc. Chill until firm enough to re-roll, about 10 min.

BEAT butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 min. Alternately beat in sugar and cream, starting and ending with sugar. Stir in peppermint candies. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large tip or a small zip-top plastic bag (snip off a small corner). Pipe 1 tbsp of peppermint filling onto half of cookies and top with remaining cookies. Best served day of baking.

Makes 35 cookies | Per cookie
152 calories, 1 g protein, 19 g carbs, 9 g fat, 1 g fibre, 88 mg sodium.

Shopping Tip: Little round peppermint candies work just as well as candy canes. To crush them, place in a bag and smash with a rolling pin.

Courtesy: Claire Tansey
Chatelaine