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1
Preheat the oven to 375.
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2
Line 6 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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3
In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa, baking powder and salt.
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4
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat 2 sticks of the butter until creamy.
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5
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
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6
Add the egg, egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and beat until blended.
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7
Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until moistened and a stiff, crumbly dough forms.
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8
Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, pat into a disk, wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
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9
Divide the dough into quarters.
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10
On a lightly floured surface, working with 1 piece at a time and keeping the rest refrigerated, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick.
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11
Using a 2 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out as many cookies as possible and transfer to the baking sheets.
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12
Decorate half of the cookies with peppermint candies or decorate all of the cookies with colored sugar or sprinkles.
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13
Repeat with the remaining dough and decorations.
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14
Bake 1 sheet of the cookies in the upper and 1 sheet in the lower third of the oven for 14 minutes, or until firm; shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through.
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15
Slide the parchment onto wire racks and let the cookies cool completely.
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16
Repeat with the remaining cookies.
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17
In a medium bowl, beat the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter with the cream cheese until smooth.
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18
Beat in the confectioners' sugar, mint extract and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
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19
If you used the peppermint candies, spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling on the undecorated cookies and top with the peppermint candy-decorated cookies.
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20
If you used the colored sugar or sprinkles, spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling on the undecorated side of the cookies; top the filling with the remaining cookies.
