Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

adapted from Dorie Greenspan

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1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt (go for 1 1/4 teaspoons if you really like salt)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 teaspoons pure peppermint extract

2 large eggs

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 2 cups storebought chocolate chips or chunks (I used a mixture of milk chocolate and semi sweet chocolate chips)

Getting ready:Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda and keep close at hand.

Working in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth.Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended.Beat in the peppermint.Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each egg goes in.Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated.On low speed, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate pieces.(The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.If you’d like, you can freeze rounded tablespoons of dough, ready for baking.There’s no need to defrost before baking – just add another minute or two to the baking time.)

Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.

Bake the cookies – one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point – for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are set around the edges; they may still be a little soft in the middle, and that’s just fine.Pull the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

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2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola or corn oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butterscotch chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven . Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute.  Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.  On low speed, mix the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until blended.  Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it.  Mix in the chips.

Using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4-cup capacity, scoop mounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies at least 2 1/2-inches apart.  You could also simply use a 1/4-cup measuring cup if you don’t have a  scoop.  Use a thin metal spatula to smooth and flatten the rounds.

Bake the  cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, about 16 minutes.  Cool them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool cimpletely.

Dust the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar.  The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days.