These Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies are dipped in dark or white chocolate, flavored with peppermint and sprinkled with crushed candy canes -- the prettiest Christmas cookie!
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth.
Add sugar, egg and vanilla and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and beat on low speed just until combined.
Divide dough in half and roll each half into a tube roughly 10 inches long and 1.5-2" in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 5 days. (You can also freeze the dough at this point for up to 3 months).
Preheat the oven to 375 and line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Working with one roll at a time, slice the cookie dough into 1/4" rounds and place 1" apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 6 minutes or until edges appear dry. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing to a flat surface to cool completely.
Repeat until all cookies are baked and cooled completely. If you want, you can freeze the cookies before dipping to make them even more sturdy.
Place a small pot on the stove with 1" of water in the bottom and bring to a boil.
Place chocolate, oil, and extract in a medium glass bowl that fits over the top of the pot without touching the water. Place the bowl over the simmering water and stir chocolate frequently to melt.
Remove from the heat and dip cookies completely using a fork, or hold the edge of the cookie and dip half way. You can also pour the chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle over the finished cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes if desired.
Place in the refrigerator to set completely before serving. Keep refrigerated or frozen when storing so that the chocolate stays firm.