Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Directions

Add chocolate and butter to a medium microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well between intervals until melted and smooth, set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile add flour to a medium mixing bowl, sift in cocoa powder and add baking powder and salt. Whisk mixture to combine. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment blend together brown sugar, eggs, peppermint extract and vanilla. Mix in chocolate mixture. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover bowl and chill 1 hour or until firm enough to handle . Preheat oven to 325 degrees during last 15 minutes of chilling. Scoop dough out about 1 lightly heaping tablespoon at a time. Shape into a ball then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, spacing cookies 2-inches apart . Bake in preheated oven until slightly under-baked, about 9 minutes. Meanwhile cut marshmallows into halves using kitchen scissors. Remove cookies from oven and add 1 marshmallow half to each cookie placing the cut side downward. Return to oven and bake about 2 - 3 minutes longer until marshmallows have begun to melt. Remove from oven and gently press down on marshmallows to flatten slightly. Cool on pan several minutes then transfer to cookies to wire racks and set wire racks over a baking sheets.

Sift powdered sugar and cocoa into a medium mixing bowl, set aside. Heat butter and cream over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently until butter has melted and mixture reaches a simmer. Remove from heat, pour in powdered sugar and cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Mix in peppermint extract. If mixture is too thick thin it with a little hot water, if it's too thin thicken with a little more sifted powdered sugar. Immediately spoon icing over cookies and sprinkle each cookie with crushed peppermint after adding icing because the icing will start to set quickly.