Mint Chocolate Cutouts

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 batch of sugar cookie dough or your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe, refrigerated.
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 oz. white chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium bowl, work together cookie dough, cocoa and peppermint extract with wooden spoon until well blended.  Place dough mixture on large sheet of plastic wrap.  Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top and roll dough into an 1/8 inch thick layer, pulling out any wrinkles that develop as you roll.  Refrigerate about 10 minutes, or until firm.

Remove dough from refrigerator.  Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap and flip dough onto lightly floured work surface.  Remove remaining wrap.  With a variety of holiday shaped cookie cutters, between 2 1/2 and 4 inches, cut out cookies.  Place shapes on un-greased cookie sheets about 1/2 inch apart.  Gather scraps and repeat rolling, chilling and cutting.

Bake 5 to 8 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

In small microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate on High about 10 seconds until partially melted or melt chocolate in glass heat safe bowl over simmering water.  Stir chocolate until completely smooth.  Pipe or drizzle chocolate over cookies.  Let sit about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Store in airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in freezer up to six months.