Chocolate Black Pepper Icebox Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE-BLACK PEPPER COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, espresso powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl; set aside.
• Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• Turn out dough onto a piece of parchment paper, and roll into a 2-inch-diameter log. Roll log in the parchment. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove log from parchment paper. Let soften slightly at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Roll log in sanding sugar, gently pressing down to adhere sugar to dough. Transfer log to a cutting board, and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle each round with freshly ground pepper.
• Bake cookies until there is slight resistance when you lightly touch centers, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

CHOCOLATE ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and add the egg and vanilla. Beat for about 20 to 30 seconds, just until combined.
• Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, and stir gently until combined.
• Divide the dough in two and roll each into a 2-inch-wide cylinder. Wrap the cylinders in wax paper, twisting the ends to seal them. Chill the dough until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Place baking racks at the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Slice the dough into 1/4-inch rounds. Place the cookies on the sheet pans 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Switch the sheet pans so that the top pan is now at the bottom, and vice versa. Bake for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pans for 1 minute. Transfer them into a wire rack and let them cool completely.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

SHAPED ICEBOX COOKIES

Steps:

• Once the flour is incorporated according to dough recipe, beat in the desired mix-in. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Shape each into a 10-inch log (or a 10-inch-long triangular, rectangular, or square-shaped log). Coat each in ground nuts or sanding sugar, if using. Wrap in parchment. Refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours.
• Slice dough crosswise slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. Reshape if needed. Bake at 350 degrees on parchment-lined baking sheets until firm, 12 to 14 minutes.