For Cookies

Place chocolate and butter in a bowl and heat over a double boiler on medium heat. Stir often as the chocolate and butter melt. Once melted, remove from heat and add the espresso powder. Stir until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, add the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on medium low speed until well combined. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and mix the flour is fully incorporated. Do not over mix.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Use a medium cookie scoop to measure out cookie dough. For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh each cookie dough ball. The cookies shown here are 24 grams each. Roll each cookie dough ball in your hands to create a round ball. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are set and the center of the cookies begin to puff and crack slightly. Do not over bake.

Remove the cookies from the oven and and cool on the baking sheet for 8-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cool completely before assembling the cookie sandwiches. To make the sandwiches, pipe a swirl of peppermint buttercream onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with the flat side of another cookie and gently press together. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Place cookie sandwiches in the refrigerator to set if needed. Serve chilled or room temperature.

For Peppermint Buttercream

Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed for 1 minute until light and fluffy.

Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Once sugar is combined, increase speed to medium high for one minute.

Add peppermint extract and salt and mix until combined. Beat on medium high speed for 6-7 minutes until buttercream is light and fluffy.

Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe the buttercream onto the cookies.

For Topping

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Once melted and smooth, allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer the chocolate to a piping bag or a large plastic bag. Snip the end or corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate onto the tops of the cookie sandwiches. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes.