Peppermint Chocolate Cookies are a lovely festive treat that everyone will love. The peppermint flavor complements the rich chocolate so well that each bite is magical! If you're looking for a new homemade cookie recipe to try this holiday season, this is one you should add to your list.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 28
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Rich, fudgy chocolate cookies with cool, minty sweetness.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Hot cocoa, coffee, or holiday dessert trays.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, dough chills well; baked cookies keep 3-4 days airtight.
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One of my favorite flavors during Christmas is peppermint. From the drinks to the treats, I love it all! These are by far the best chocolate peppermint cookies I have ever made from scratch, so it's certainly a recipe I will be making on repeat every year.
Some of my other favorite peppermint recipes include McDonald's peppermint mocha and homemade peppermint Oreos.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can easily change the flavors: This is a basic cookie recipe, and it's super easy to change the flavors and mix-ins to make it suit your preference.
- It's great to prepare ahead: Even though you don't have to chill the dough, you can still take steps to prepare the cookies or cookie dough in advance to make it easier to serve the cookies.
- It's perfect for Christmas: The peppermint flavor from the crushed candy canes is perfect for Christmas time. This is one of my favorite treats to serve to guests along with my peppermint cheesecake!
Ingredients
Here are the most important ingredients you'll need for this peppermint chocolate cookie recipe. This includes components like the peppermint and cocoa powder used to flavor the cookies.
- Butter: Ensure that your butter is softened before you get started on preparing the dough. I use unsalted butter because I add coarse kosher salt. If you only have salted butter on hand, omit the additional salt.
- Sugar: The combination of granulated and brown sugar creates a chewy center and lightly crispy edges. It's amazing!
- Peppermint extract: I like to add some peppermint extract to enhance the peppermint flavor and ensure that you get it in every bite. It's not a lot, so it isn't overpowering. If you love peppermint, try these peppermint mocha cookies next!
- Cocoa powder: I prefer unsweetened cocoa powder for these cookies because it provides a strong chocolate flavor without added sugar.
- Mix-ins: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a lovely balance of richness and bitterness, while the crushed peppermint candy reinforces the holiday flavor. The chocolate gets folded into the dough while the peppermint acts as a garnish! Use your extra peppermint candy to make a batch of this festive holiday peppermint bark.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add Oreos: Fold in some crushed Oreo cookies to add even more chocolate flavor and a slightly crunchy texture.
- White chocolate: Try white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips for extra richness and a different color.
- Add pretzels: Include some crushed pretzels for a salty flavor to contrast the chocolate and peppermint.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Below are the steps you'll need for this chocolate peppermint cookie recipe. Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: Beat the butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it is creamy and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the eggs and extract. Add the eggs and extracts, and beat them until smooth.
Step 3: Pour in the dry ingredients. Add all of the dry ingredients and mix them until the ingredients are well combined and the dough forms.
Step 4: Add the chocolate chips. Add in the chocolate chips and gently fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
Step 5: Scoop the dough. Scoop the dough into balls on the cookie sheet, leaving at least an inch between them.
Step 6: Bake and finish. Pop the pan into the oven and bake the cookies for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the peppermint candy on top of the baked cookies and enjoy them once they are completely cooled! Add a scoop of hot chocolate ice cream between two cookies to turn them into a holiday ice cream sandwich!
Recipe Tips
- Use a cookie scoop: I like to use a cookie scoop to ensure that every cookie is the same size, so they bake evenly. For this recipe, a heaping tablespoon will do the trick!
- Don't let the butter melt: You want your butter to soften to where it's almost room temperature, but not where it starts to melt. If the butter is too warm, it will make the cookies spread too much in the oven.
- Avoid dark metal pans: Dark metal pans absorb more heat faster, so I noticed that the bottoms of the cookies will bake faster than the middle, leaving you with an underdone cookie with burned bottoms. A lighter metal cookie sheet is best.
Do you love chocolate cookies like these? Are you a hard core chocolate lover? If yes, you just have to check out these old fashioned chocolate cookies. Easy to make, even easier to eat. They'll make your taste buds dance.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store your dark chocolate peppermint cookies in an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for a week. You may freeze them for 2-3 months.
- Make Ahead: Even though the cookie dough doesn't need to be chilled, you may prepare it up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. I like to let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping and baking it.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy these peppermint cocoa cookies with a scoop of ice cream, like mint brownie ice cream.
- A hot festive beverage like hot chocolate would be a great pairing, too. Try a traditional one, or a flavor like cinnamon hot chocolate or peppermint hot chocolate truffles.
- Prepare a delicious dinner featuring slow-cooker turkey legs and complete it with some of the best peppermint chocolate cookies ever for dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Nope! There's no need to chill the chocolate peppermint cookie dough. You can prepare, scoop, and bake the cookies right away.
If you overbake the cookies, they can become dry and crumbly. Only bake them until the middle is soft set and the edges are set and start to brown. Any longer and they will dry out.
You need to add the crushed candies to the peppermint chocolate cookies while they are still warm, but not hot. This will allow them to stick, but not melt.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Do you like cookie recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- bowl
- Cookie Scoop I used the small size. Just over 1 tablespoon.
- 2 9x13 baking sheets
- Cooling sheet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- To a bowl, add the unsalted butter and sugars on medium speed with a hand mixer, mix for two minutes or until creamy.
- Add the egg and extracts. Mix on medium speed for one minute.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a spatula to mix until everything is combined.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold in with the spatula until incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough placed 2 inches apart onto two cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and bang the baking sheet 1 time onto the counter to help the cookies spread.
- Immediately top the cookies with the crushed candy cane. Press gently into the cookie to help it stick to the cookies.
- Transfer the cookies immediately to a cooling sheet.
- Repeat to make the final batch of cookies.
Notes
- Be careful not to overbake your peppermint cookies. This will make them very dry and crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crushed peppermint on the cookies while they are still warm, but not piping hot. This ensures that they will stick but not melt.
- Use a cookie scoop so that all of the cookies are the same size and bake evenly.
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