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Copycat Trader Joe's Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars Recipe
1 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2-3 (10-ounce) packages bittersweet chocolate chips
white nonpareils
Preheat oven to 300. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the extracts.
On low speed, mix in the flour/cocoa mixture until combined.
On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut with a small star cookie cutter. (I used a 1.5-inch, but you can use what you have.) Bake for 15 minutes or until baked through and crisp. Adjust time as needed depending on the size of cookie cutter. Let cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place two bags of chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the pan of water. Dip the bottoms of the cooled cookies into the chocolate to thinly coat. Placed on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
Place the cookies onto wire racks set on rimmed cookie sheets. Spoon remaining melted chocolate over the tops of the cookies to coat completely. (Use the third bag of chocolate chips if needed.) Sprinkle with nonpareils. Refrigerate until set, at least 15 minutes.
Once set, the cookies can be stored in the refrigerator, freezer, or at room temperature. If keeping in the fridge or counter, cover loosely. In a tightly covered container, they will soften more quickly. Before storing at room temperature, let the cookies come to room temperature in a single layer first, then place in a cookie jar. Be sure not to store them with any soft cookie or the moisture will transfer.
The cookies are most crisp when eaten the same day.
