INGREDIENTS

• Cookies
• • 2 cups all-purpose flour
• • ⅔ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• • ½ tsp salt
• • ½ cup granulated sugar
• • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• • 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Matcha Coating
• • 4-6 blocks vanilla almond bark
• • 2 tsp Aiya Culinary Grade Matcha
• • Crushed peppermint, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

• Cookies
• 1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
• 2. Slowly add in the flour mixture, mixing until dough forms. The dough will be very thick.
• 3. Pour the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper, and use your hands to gather it into a ball, if needed. Place another sheet of parchment on top. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough between the two sheets of parchment, until dough is about 1/8-inch thick.
• 4. Place the rolled out dough on a cookie sheet and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 5. Cut out the cookies using a round cookie cutter and place cutouts on a parchment lined cookie sheet. You can do this on the sheet of parchment you've already used, by cutting out cookies and then removing the excess dough. Re-roll any excess dough and cut into cookies as well.
• 6. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and crisp. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the hot baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Dip the Cookies
• 1. Microwave the vanilla almond bark in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.
• 2. Add the Matcha and stir until smooth.
• 3. Dip cooled cookies into the Matcha mixture and place on a wire rack.
• 4. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint while the Matcha bark is still wet, then let cool until hard. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.