Chocolate Peppermint Stars

Ingredients

• Buttery Sugar Cookie dough recipe with an addition and adjustments
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup coarsely crushed small red and white candy canes (see Cooks' Notes)
• 4 ounces good bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate
• melted (see Cooks' Notes)
• Wax paper; parchment paper; 2 large baking sheets; 2- to 3-inch star cookie cutters; small offset spatula (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make Buttery Sugar Cookie dough as directed, but reduce the flour to 1 1/3 cups and add the cocoa.

2. 2

   Whisk the flour and cocoa together.

3. 3

   Halve dough and wrap each half in wax paper, shaping each into a flattened rectangle, then store each half in a resealable plastic bag.

4. 4

   Chill dough until firm, at least 2 hours.

5. 5

   Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

6. 6

   Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

7. 7

   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.

8. 8

   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.

9. 9

   Freeze or chill cut-out cookies on baking sheet until firm before baking.

10. 10

    Bake cookies, one sheet at time, until edges are a shade darker and centers are set, 9 to 12 minutes.

11. 11

    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.

12. 12

    Make more cookies with remaining dough. (Cool baking sheets and use fresh parchment between batches.) 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.

13. 13

    Let cookies stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour.