Brooklyn Blackout Mint Shortbread

some tips:

• black cocoa — if you don't have access to this oreo-like wonder, you can substitute regular cocoa. But i HIGHLY recommend you make the effort to get it.
• meringue powder in icing — use if you want icing to firm up completely, which is a good idea for presentation purposes if you plan to pack/gift them
• crushed candy canes — for years i used the crush-in-ziploc-bag method and no matter how neat i tried to be, i found little sticky shards all over my kitchen for weeks. this year i used a food processor. so much easier and neater! and no need to freeze the candy canes, as i read many places online. just pulse till you get the size pieces you'd like. 

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Yield: about 60 2” cookies

​Dough Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ tsp peppermint extract
¼ cup + 1 tbsp black cocoa (i use King Arthur)*
½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Icing Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
5-6 tbsp water
​pinch salt
4 tsp meringue powder (optional. i like Wilton)*
​crushed candy canes for sprinkling*

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mat.
2. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, peppermint extract and salt on medium speed until well blended. scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Stir in both cocoas, pulsing so you don't end up in a cocoa dust cloud, until just incorporated. add flour and mix just until blended, being careful not to over-mix  Dough should be firm and hold together well, but should no longer be sticky. You may need to adjust flour quantity.
4. Divide dough in thirds and place each third on a sheet of wax paper. form into a flat disc. Cover disc with another sheet of wax paper, sandwiching dough between the two sheets.
5. Roll out to a 1/4" thickness, smoothing any creases that develop in wax paper.
6. Peel away & replace one sheet of wax paper (this will prevent dough from sticking when cutting cookies, and keep work surface clean). Flip entire "sandwich" over & remove top sheet of wax paper, leaving bottom sheet in place.
7. Press cookie cutter into dough. place cutouts on baking sheet, 1" apart. 
8. Roll out scraps & repeat, until all dough is used up. you may need to refrigerate the rolled out scraps if they become to warm & sticky. Repeat these steps with the other discs.
9. sprinkle cutouts with coarse salt 
10. Bake in a preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, front to back, top to bottom. Cookies are done when they look dry and finely crackled, and a slight depression remains when lightly pressed.
11. Cool for 5-7 minutes on baking sheets, until sturdy enough to handle with a spatula. if you rush this, cookies may break. Place on wire racks to cool completely.
12. Combine powdered sugar, salt (& meringue powder if using) and water and stir until smooth. Drizzle, pipe or spread icing over completely cooled cookies.
13. while icing is still wet, add crushed candy cane topping.
14. ​allow to dry for several hours before putting in airtight container. 
15. Store cookies airtight at room temperature for 5-7 days. They're still fine after that, but will just start to dry out. (if there are any left!)