COOKIES

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.  Set aside.
2. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer.  Mix on high speed until the butter is light and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the sugar and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and light, about 1 more minute.  Add the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract or oil.  Mix on high speed for a few seconds.  Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed, just until they are incorporated.  Do not overmix!
3. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper that’s lightly dusted with cocoa.  Divide the dough in half.  Form each half into a disc.  Wrap each disc in a piece of plastic wrap.  Do not refrigerate the dough wrapped in parchment paper if refrigerating overnight.  The parchment paper will absorb a lot of the butter from your cookie dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour.  If you refrigerate the dough overnight, remove it from the refrigerator for about 1 hour before trying to roll it out.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.  Lightly dust a work surface or piece of parchment paper with cocoa powder.  (Do not use flour).  Before you roll the dough out, pat it out somewhat with your hand, especially if it’s still slightly chilled.  Roll the dough out to a scant 1/4″ in thickness.   Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and transfer them to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing at least 1-inch apart.  Re-roll the remaining dough and cut it into cookie rounds.  Leave the second disc of dough in the refrigerator until the first cookies are baked and the cookie sheets are cooled.
6. Bake the cookies for approximately 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies are set around the edges.  The cookies will be soft in the centers.  Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for at least 3 minutes and transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before dipping them in chocolate.

CHOCOLATE COATING

1. Add the chocolate and oil to a small deep bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave for 20 more seconds.  Stir until chocolate melts.  It it’s still not totally melted, microwave for 20 more seconds.  Add the peppermint flavoring and mix well.
2. Dip each cookie in the chocolate, using a fork to lift them out of the chocolate.  Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl and then scrape it over the edge to remove the excess chocolate from the bottom of the cookie.  Transfer the cookies to parchment lined cookie sheets.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes until the chocolate is set.  If you want, you can melt some milk chocolate and drizzle over the tops with a fork.  This is optional.
3. Place cookies in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.  Cookies can be left at room temperature for up to 3 days, but they taste best, in my opinion, if refrigerated.