Yule Log Cookies

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 355°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, ground anise, salt, and vanilla and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and mix until just combined and there are no dry bits of flour in the cookie dough, 1 to 2 minutes more. Split the dough in half (if you’re using a scale, each half should be 250 grams) and set one half aside. To the remaining dough, add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined. Roll out the chocolate dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it is a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat with the vanilla cookie dough. Stack the two doughs on top of each other, gently press down, and freeze for 5 minutes. Roll the dough between a couple sheets of parchment paper until it is a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Freeze the dough on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. With the chocolate dough on the bottom, use the parchment paper to roll the cookie dough into a log starting from a long side, similar to rolling up a jelly roll. If it breaks or cracks, don't worry, just use your hands to roll it the best you can.
3. Place the log of cookie dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. If piping is difficult, let the dough warm up for a few minutes. Pipe 3-inch-long lines about 1 inch apart onto your baking sheet. Freeze the cookies for 5 minutes; this helps the cookies hold their shape. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until they are fragrant and appear dry. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
4. When the cookies are completely cool, transfer them to a wire cooling rack set inside a parchment-lined baking sheet. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl by microwaving it in 15-second increments, stirring well in between each increment (or in a double boiler over gently simmering water, stirring often until completely smooth). Dip and roll each cookie into the chocolate using a fork, and gently shake off any excess chocolate. Place the cookie onto the baking sheet and continue dipping every cookie. Add any sprinkles or decorations while the chocolate is still wet. Freeze the cookies for 5 minutes to set the chocolate. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.