INGREDIENTS: (makes 24-30 cookies)

• 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• About 16 oz of dark chocolate wafers. Wilton or Ghirardelli
• Edible gold dusting powder 

DIRECTIONS:

• Place butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and using a mixer, beat until light and fluffy 
• Add vanilla and mix until well combined.
• Add flour and baking powder to butter/sugar mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated well (don’t over-beat this).
• Use clean hands to form this mixture into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While dough is chilling, make chocolate toppers.

• Melt chocolate wafers in the microwave in 30 second increments, mixing in between until melted and smooth.
• Spoon into a large zip-top bag and seal it well.
• Place mold on a cookie sheet to keep it flat and easy to move.
• Carefully pipe chocolate into molds, filling them up to the top and then tap entire cookie sheet on counter to remove bubbles.
• Freeze for 5-8 minutes until they can be peeled out of the molds. Repeat until you have about 24-30 toppers.
• Squeeze extra chocolate back into a small bowl and set aside.

 

Set toppers aside, and cut/bake cookies.

• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on a floured countertop. Cut into rectangles.  Place on a cookie sheet that has parchment paper laid on top. 
• Bake at 350F degrees for 10-12 minutes.
• Slide parchment paper (with cookies on top) off baking sheet and cool completely.

Assemble cookies.

• Re-heat the extra chocolate you set aside from earlier, using instructions given earlier for melting.
• Use a knife to spread melted chocolate onto the back of a chocolate topper, and gently place it on top of a cooled cookie. 
• Allow topper to harden- sticking it firmly to the top of the cookie.
• Use a food-grade brush to gently brush gold dusting powder over each chocolate piece. (optional)