Sometime between December 1st and now I was hit by a severe craving for chocolate and peppermint, and friends this is rare as I expressed in my 5-Ingredient Peppermint Mocha Frappe post. I used to be a chocolate-mint hater but now we have a growing love affair. Thankfully this recipe satisfies my deepest chocolate peppermint cravings, perhaps just as much as a double scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Ughghghg, so good.
It is Christmas after all so that means it’s time for baking. I come from a long line of bakers, my mom, aunts and grandmothers included. My Grandma Sally makes a mean peanut brittle, my aunts are pie extraordinaires, and my mom taught me the art of making the perfect peanut butter blossom. All of these things ring Christmas to me so it’s natural for me to hover around the kitchen a bit more in December. It’s in my blood.
These cookies may look a little complicated but they’re actually very simple. Just 30 minutes from start to finish and prepared all in one bowl. I hate having to get out loads of ingredients and multiple bowls just as much as the next person so this cookie has been whittled down to the bare bone necessities.
However, it doesn’t lack that perfect cookie texture, or luscious chocolate peppermint flavor one bit. Ask my coworkers who literally downed the whole batch by 10 a.m. after I dropped them in the break room. I guess you could say they were a little popular. I think Santa would approve.
I ate my cookie as is but I bet they’d also be great frozen and dipped in milk like Thin Mints (oh my gosh those are so good). I also suspect they’d make the perfect partner to hot cocoa or crumbled into a vanilla or mint milkshake (that would be the end of me). The possibilities are endless.
Simple factor: 30 minutes from start to finish; prepared using 1 bowl
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp natural peppermint extract
- 1¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 candy cane, finely crushed
- ⅓ cup dark, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for about 1-2 minutes. Add egg, peppermint extract and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as you go to ensure even mixing.
- Add flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder to a sifter and sift gradually over the wet ingredients mixing as you go. Mix until well combined.
- Add chocolate chips and stir in with a mixing spoon and then chill in the freezer for 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
- Form the dough into small balls (heaping 1 Tbsp) and place 1.5 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Press the tops down and then top with a few more chocolate chips (to indicate what’s inside).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes – the edges should start to dry but the tops will still be slightly soft looking. Let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes more but sprinkle crushed candy cane on immediately.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to rest until completely cooled. Store in an airtight container to keep fresh for up to a few days or freeze for several weeks.
NOTE: Don’t forget to check out our FREE Downloadable E-Cookbook to benefit Charity:Water! It’s a delicious project for a great cause. Consider it our holiday gift to you.
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction December 18, 2012 at 9:30 am
I love peppermint and chocolate! These cookies look highly addictive!
Suzanne @ RollWithIt December 18, 2012 at 10:32 am
Uhhhhh, these look amazing! Chocolate + peppermint are a perfect combo!
Mary December 18, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Oh my, this- and your whole site- is amazing, thank you so much! I am going to make these for my class this week :)
Kammie @ Sensual Appealb December 18, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Oh my, these are just so beautiful. The photography is amazing and I want to bite my screen. Seriously. So good!
Lindsay December 18, 2012 at 5:23 pm
Wow! These look fantabulous! I think I am going to have to make a vegan version asap.
Sarah December 18, 2012 at 5:34 pm
I am all about the chocolate-peppermint combo at the time of year, and what better way than in a straight forward cookie! Thanks for the inspiration.
marla December 18, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Clever & very fun photos ~ the cookies look great!
Natasha December 19, 2012 at 1:29 am
These look great, love the photos! Yum :-)
thelittleloaf December 19, 2012 at 8:12 am
These look like my absolute all time favourite kind of cookie, YUM!
Mary December 20, 2012 at 3:53 am
…P.S made these for my students and so good had to make again tonight for colleagues…so easy and yum, thanks for a great recipe :) :)
3littleprinces December 20, 2012 at 8:57 pm
WOW! I made these tonight and they are divine. I didn’t have enough dark chocolate chips so I used half dark and half white and they are perfect. Thank you so much for a great recipe that comes out exactly as pictured. Btw your photographs are fantastic ~ Happy Holidays:)
Gail December 21, 2012 at 1:22 pm
They look delicious – very similar to the ones from Bon Appetit a few years ago, minus the chocolate drizzle. In that recipe, the chocolate drizzle helped adhere the crushed candy canes to the top of each cookie… For those who’ve made these, how well do the crushed bits stick to the finished cookie? I could see getting irritated if they just fell off the moment you picked one up to eat it. Thanks! and I have loved the Minimalist since forever – but thought you weren’t really a baker. I’m delighted to see this blog!
Linda December 21, 2012 at 10:10 pm
What a great recipe! I was a bit alarmed by the calories, so cut sugar to 1/2 cup, withheld the chocolate chips, and folded the candy cake into the batter instead. Also, I doubled the mint because I love that flavor. Still came out delicious. Will make again :)
Katie December 23, 2012 at 9:39 am
Can I make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight? Will it still be as delicious?
Dana December 23, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Yes! Just make sure you cover it.
Beverly J March 19, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Hi, this question might sound stupid, but I’m just curious. What is the purpose of putting the batter in the freezer for 10 minutes?
Maddie April 8, 2013 at 11:16 pm
These are delicious! But I recommend using two eggs, they turn out more cakelike and softer. Thanks for your recipe!
Shai-lee April 19, 2013 at 1:17 am
Hi, i love your recipe however i was wondering how to make them taste more peppermint-y? Would i need to add more essence to the mix? I tried putting a glaze on top of some water and peppermint essence but that didn’t even give me the stronger peppermint taste i was after. I like things like mint slice (hopefully u know that wat that tastes like) and so yeah.