Sometimes there are so many key flavors in a dish that it can be challenging to accurately and concisely name them. These sacher torte cookies go one step further. Yes, I could have made simple chocolate chip cookies, but the world does not need another chocolate chip cookie recipe. What the world needs, in my insignificant opinion, are chocolate cookies with a dimple in the middle to store jelly, with more chocolate on top, oh and did I mention they are peppermint chocolate sacher torte cookies? No, there was no room for that long but delightful word.
Right, so the cookie dough itself is peppermint and chocolate. You could stop there with this wintry treat. Or you could kick it up. Refuse to be boring! The thumbprint shape allows room for an additional flavor in the middle without injecting a biscuit. On top is definitely easier than inside. Then we emphasize the chocolate and bring it all together with a couple of stripes of chocolate holding the jelly in the pothole.
The texture of this cookie is unique. I have never had anything like it. Honestly, it reminded me of chalk at first. It is sort of a chalky texture in that it is dry, unlike a gooey chocolate chip, but it is still soft and does not have a crunch. At first I was unsure about them, but I still craved another. Usually I insist on milk with my cookies; regardless of the type. With these, it really did not add value or change the consistency. Although I describe them as “chalky”, they are not dry and with the apricot in the middle, the milk is not necessary.
I hope you give these a shot, because they are certainly unique in texture, and equally appealing in appearance and flavor. The chocolate is subtle, the apricot is well balanced, though my husband claimed it could use a wider divot and more apricot in each bite. The tongue is left with a soft but fresh peppermint after taste that sneaks up on you in a pleasant sort of way.
In order to test how long they would last before expiring, I kept one for 10 days (sorry I could not wait any longer) in a sealed container and it was just as fresh as the first day. I think they would last up to three weeks, longer in the freezer.
Take-Home Tips: To make the thumbprint hole in the middle, you are better off not actually using your thumb. We used the back of a teaspoon, but any similar small, round solid would work better to make that shape than your thumb. This is especially true if you have long nails. If you want to use your thumb, choose horizontal and add more jelly. Of course you could use grape, strawberry, or whatever jelly you are trying to get out of your fridge. The possibilities are endless for a Smörgåsbord of jelly thumbprint cookies. I would however, recommend the apricot or strawberry for the chocolate cookie. If you are not a peppermint fan, regular pudding with almond or just vanilla extract would be good substitutes in the cookie.
Scoring: 8 of 10. The flavors are really good together, it is appealing to look at, and they are robust. There is some debate on whether they need the milk because they are dryer than a regular cookie. However, after eating the one remaining fellow this week, I was pleasantly surprised I did not crave the milk as the jelly offered a complimentary moisture.
Food of the Month 
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