Frosted chocolate peppermint cookies are soft, cake-like chocolate peppermint cookies. These cookies are topped with rich chocolate buttercream frosting and crushed peppermint candy.
Frosted chocolate peppermint cookies are chocolate peppermint cookies topped with chocolate frosting and crushed peppermint candy. The cookies are soft and cake-like, and the frosting is rich and creamy.
The cookies can be made in about 30 minutes, so they’re as quick and easy as they are tasty!
Ingredient information and substitutions
- All-purpose flour: It’s important to sift the flour before measuring it. To measure it, lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level.
- Cocoa powder: The process for measuring the cocoa powder is the same as for the flour. I haven’t tried using Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the cookies to 1/2 teaspoon and add a couple of pinches of salt to the frosting.
- Sour cream: I recommend using full-fat sour cream in this recipe.
- Peppermint extract: It’s important to use peppermint extract, not mint extract. Mint is similar to spearmint and won’t give you the correct flavor in these cookies.
- Heavy cream: If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use half-and-half or milk.
How to make frosted chocolate peppermint cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 4: Mix in the egg and egg yolk and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Step 5: Add the sour cream, vanilla, and peppermint extract and beat just until combined.
Step 6: Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low just until combined, scraping down the bowl a few times to make sure the dough mixes well.
Step 7: Roll 1 ½ tablespoons of dough into a small ball.
Step 8: Place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart, and press it down until it is ¼ to ½-inch thick. Continue with the rest of the dough.
Step 9: Bake for 7-12 minutes, then immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10: To make the frosting, beat the butter, peppermint extract, and vanilla together.
Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
Step 11: Add in heavy cream and mix until well-combined.
Step 12: Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost each cookie and top with crushed peppermint candies.
Tips
- A hand mixer will work in this recipe. You’ll need to mix the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes. Also, I recommend mixing in the dry ingredients by hand to avoid burning out the mixer.
- Make sure to press down the dough before baking. The cookies rise quite a bit in the oven.
- To crush the peppermint candies or candy canes: place candies or candy canes in a zip top plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to break into small pieces.
- The cookies taste even better the next day! This makes them a great make-ahead choice.
Storage
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cookies should keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More Christmas cookies!
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Frosted Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
Frosting
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg and egg yolk and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla, and peppermint extract and beat just until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low just until combined, scraping down the bowl a few times to make sure the dough mixes well.
- Roll 1 ½ tablespoons of dough into a small ball.
- Place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart, and press it down until it is ¼ to ½-inch thick.
- Continue with the rest of the dough.
- Bake for 7-12 minutes, then immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter, peppermint extract, and vanilla together.
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
- Add in heavy cream and mix until well-combined.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost each cookie and top with crushed peppermint candies.
Notes
- All-purpose flour: It’s important to sift the flour before measuring it. To measure it, lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level.
- Cocoa powder: The process for measuring the cocoa powder is the same as for the flour. I haven’t tried using Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the cookies to 1/2 teaspoon and add a couple of pinches of salt to the frosting.
- Sour cream: I recommend using full-fat sour cream in this recipe.
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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