Chocolate peppermint cookies are soft chocolate cookies that are topped with crushed candy canes. These easy Christmas cookies take just 20 minutes to make!
Chocolate peppermint cookies are quick and easy Christmas cookies that take just 20 minutes to make. I adapted this recipe from my popular easy chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipe.
These chocolate chocolate chip cookies really are quick and easy. They are made with melted butter, so there’s no need to use a hand mixer.
They don’t require any chilling, so they’re also really quick to stir up, and it only takes about 20 minutes from start to baked cookie with this recipe.
These cookies are a great choice when you want to make homemade Christmas cookies but don’t want to spend hours rolling and chilling cookie dough.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: This recipe uses melted butter. I prefer to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Sugars:Â This recipe uses both brown sugar and granulated (white sugar). You can use either dark or light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will give you a slightly richer flavor.
- Peppermint extract: It’s important to use peppermint extract, not mint. Mint is more of a spearmint flavor (like mouthwash).
- Measuring Flour: If you aren’t weighing your ingredients, I can’t recommend that enough. If you are using measuring cups, be sure to sift or stir the flour before measuring. Flour packs easily and using too much flour in cookies will give you dry, crumbly dough and cookies that don’t spread.
- Chocolate Chips:Â I use mini semisweet chocolate chips. You can use regular chocolate chips, if you prefer. You could even use white chocolate chips if you like.
- Peppermint: I prefer to crush up a candy cane instead of using the pre-crushed peppermint candy for these cookies. The pre-crushed candies tend to have really small pieces that melt into the cookies (you can see some of the smaller pieces that have melted into the cookies in the photos).
How to make chocolate peppermint cookies
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2: Microwave the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl for about 40 seconds. Butter should be about 90% melted.
Step 3: Whisk the butter until it is completely melted.
Step 4: Add the sugars; mix until well-combined.
Step 5: Stir in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and egg until incorporated.
Step 6: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.
Step 7: Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
Step 8: Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Step 9: Place the crushed peppermint candy in a shallow dish.
Step 10: Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough and dip the top of each cookie in the peppermint candy. Don’t roll the entire cookie.
Step 11: Place 3 inches apart on baking sheet.
Step 12: Bake for about 10-13 minutes, or until cookies are set. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the middle.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing: I highly recommend mixing the cookies by hand. You can use an electric mixer, but hand mixing helps to avoid overworking the dough.
- Soft cookies: One of the keys to make soft cookies is slightly underbaking the cookies. This means that the edges should look set but the middles should still look puffy and soft.
- For the photos on the page, I made slightly larger cookies. I used 2 tablespoons of dough, rolled it into a ball, and then flattened slightly. I baked the cookies for about 10 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. I recommend freezing the cookie dough in scoops until frozen through. Transfer the scoops to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can! Bake the cookies as-directed. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 1 month.
You can make cookies using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoons). Reduce the baking time to 7-10 minutes for the smaller cookies.
Storage
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
More Christmas cookie recipes!
If you’ve tried this chocolate peppermint cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2-1 teaspoon peppermint extract depending on desired amount
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 â…“ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed peppermint candy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Microwave the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl for about 40 seconds. Butter should mostly melted.
- Whisk the butter until it is completely melted.
- Add the sugars; mix until well-combined.
- Stir in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and egg until incorporated.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.
- Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Place the crushed peppermint candy in a shallow dish.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough and dip the top of each cookie in the peppermint candy. Don’t roll the entire cookie.
- Place 3 inches apart on baking sheet. You can see how I stagger the cookie dough in the picture above.
- Bake for about 10-13 minutes, or until cookies are set. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the middle.
Notes
- Peppermint extract: It’s important to use peppermint extract, not mint. Mint is more of a spearmint flavor (like mouthwash).
- Measuring Flour: If you aren’t weighing your ingredients, I can’t recommend that enough. If you are using measuring cups, be sure to sift or stir the flour before measuring. Flour packs easily and using too much flour in cookies will give you dry, crumbly dough and cookies that don’t spread.
- Chocolate Chips: I use mini semisweet chocolate chips. You can use regular chocolate chips if you prefer. You could even use white chocolate chips if you like.
- Peppermint: I prefer to crush up a candy cane instead of using the pre-crushed peppermint candy for these cookies. The pre-crushed candies tend to have really small pieces that melt into the cookies (you can see some of the smaller pieces that have melted into the cookies in the photos).
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
Jen says
These are great! I used the full teaspoon of peppermint extract.
I also rolled these dough in powdered sugar and then pressed the crushed candy cane on top.
Kate says
Thank you!