Take a bite of magical winter days with these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies—dark chocolate, white chocolate, and cocoa mix with the cool crunch of mint candy.
Want to know what the best of winter tastes like? Of riding down toboggans, ice skating on the local pond, walking in a snowy wonderland? Take a bite out of these cookies. These aspects of the coldest season are what come to my mind whenever I make—and then devour—a batch.
Even after so many indulgences, I can’t decide which I like more: the chocolate, the chocolate, the chocolate, or the mint. Yes, I list chocolate three times because there is SO much chocolate in these cookies (ha, I guess I have my answer!). Cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, and white chocolate prove a formidable combination (no sweet tooth stands a chance!) while the cool crunch provided by the peppermint candies makes me feel so alive! (Yes, I rely on cookies to feel alive.)
So keep this recipe on hand the moment the weather takes a turn for the chillier. It will certainly help whether in the leadup to Christmas or as a way to overcome the January blahs.
How Should I Melt the Chocolate?
I recommend using one of two options. The first is the simplest: put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and zap it in short intervals (20–30 seconds) at 50% power until it liquefies. The other option is the “professional” way to go. And that’s double boiling. Bring a pot of water to boil then set a metal bowl over top. Put the chocolate inside the bowl and wait for the heat from the steam to melt the chocolate. What you want to avoid is using direct heat, so don’t be tempted to put the chocolate in a pot and then that pot on an element. Chocolate burns easily.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp whole milk
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate
- ¼ cup peppermint candies, crushed
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Put the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend together until smooth.
Step 2: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract then blend on HIGH until it turns fluffy.
Step 3: In another bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Add the wet mix to the dry mix. Use a hand mixer to blend together. As you mix, slowly drizzle in the milk until it all comes together.
Step 5: Stir in the chocolate chips and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to measure out the cookies on the sheet, spreading them out to allow for expansion during baking. Bake for 10–15 minutes.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and let cool. In the meantime, melt the white chocolate. Once the cookies have cooled, decorate with the white chocolate. I alternate between dipping them in the chocolate and drizzling the chocolate over them. Once done, stick the crushed candy into the wet chocolate.
FAQs & Tips
Let the cookies cool then store them in an airtight container (Ziploc bags work). They can be left out at room temperature for up to 3 days before their quality starts to drop. You can also freeze them. I would recommend flash freezing them by putting them in a single layer on a baking sheet and putting them in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, you can throw them in a Ziploc bag and not worry about them sticking together. They should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can then thaw them out in the fridge or at room temperature.
We estimate there are 161 calories in each cookie. The butter, the flour, and the white chocolate are primarily to blame. To reduce that number, replace the butter with applesauce (use 1/2 cup), Greek yogurt (use 1/4 cup), coconut oil (use 1/2 cup), or mashed ripe avocado (use 1/2 cup).
Despite what you may have heard in the playground, white chocolate IS chocolate, it just doesn’t contain ALL the ingredients found in brown chocolate, namely the cocoa solids. Cocoa solids come from cocoa beans; they’re the dark, non-fat components that give dark/milk chocolate its lovely color and rich flavor. That leaves sugar, cocoa butter, and milk solids. Typically, vanilla is added to round out the flavor and meet the expectations of those who bite into a white food and expect it to taste like vanilla. That’s what you should find in white chocolate, so if you spot other ingredients like vegetable fats, put down the chocolate and slowly step away. It may look like white chocolate but will lack quality.
Sure, though they can no longer be called Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. Experiment with almond extract or increase the amount of vanilla extract.
You can, though this will impact the finished cookie. Using nothing but brown sugar will result in chewy cookies with a strong taste of molasses. Plus, because they’re soft, they may spread out more when baking. Using nothing but white sugar will make your cookies crispier and thinner, almost like a snap. Play with the amounts and arrive at a ratio that pleases you.
Other Cookie Recipes You Must Try
Snickers Cookies: All the chocolate and peanut goodness of a Snickers bar but in cookie form.
Hot Chocolate Cookies: One guess which beverage I’m going to suggest you dunk these into.
Banana Oatmeal Cookies: “Healthy cookies don’t taste good!” I hear you say? Well, you’ve obviously never tried this recipe.
Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies: Now that you’ve got Christmas and winter cookies covered, let’s move on to Valentine’s Day.
The Best Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp whole milk
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
For Decorating:
- 1 cup white chocolate
- ¼ cup peppermint candies crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Put the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend together until smooth.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract then blend on HIGH until it turns fluffy.
- In another bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet mix to the dry mix. Use a hand mixer to blend together. As you mix, slowly drizzle in the milk until it all comes together.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to measure out the cookies on the sheet, spreading them out to allow for expansion during baking. Bake for 10–15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. In the meantime, melt the white chocolate. Once the cookies have cooled, decorate with the white chocolate. I alternate between dipping them in the chocolate and drizzling the chocolate over them. Once done, stick the crushed candy into the wet chocolate.
Nutrition
