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
Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened // 1 stick equals 1/2 cup)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 tsp natural peppermint extract
- 1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat pastry)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 candy cane (finely crushed)
- 1/3 cup dark, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)
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.
Robert Watts says
I love this recipe, I made it for my friends birthday and am now making them again for Valentines day for family. 10/10 recipe.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Robert. Thank you for the lovely review!
Janalyn says
This was an easy and very delicious recipe. I doubled the ingredients and gave to friends and family for Christmas. They loved them. ❤️ I’m making them again for Valentines.
Thank you for sharing this awesome cookie recipe. 😊 😋
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Janalyn! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
irene says
I made this over the holidays and they didn’t work out at all for me. I ran out of almond flour so I couldn’t make the GF/vegan version that’s on this site, so I did this recipe and swapped out the flour for Pamela’s 1-to-1 GF flour. These cookies turned out so dry they were inedible. I even added ~3 tablespoons of extra DF butter (per other reviewer’s comments) but they still came out dry. I think it has to do with having both baking soda AND baking powder, combined with cocoa powder. Other highly-rated recipes for peppermint-chocolate cookies only use baking soda, when calling for cocoa powder. Some also use melted chocolate mint bars instead of straight up cocoa powder. Sadly, I won’t be using this recipe again.
We’re so sorry the cookies didn’t turn out well for you, Irene! Gluten-free flour blends vary quite a bit and it’s not always as easy as subbing them 1-1 in a recipe that calls for all-purpose flour. That’s why we use almond flour + specific other flours in our gluten-free version of these cookies. Wishing you better luck with the next recipe!
Laura Ann says
These came out great! I did make a few small modifications. I doubled the recipe to yield about 80 cookies. I added 1 tsp vanilla. I added about ½ cup each of chocolate chips and peppermint chips from Trader Joe’s (you can never really have too many chips!) I only used 1/4 tsp peppermint extract for the doubled recipe and it was definitely enough. I didn’t press extra chips- just added them right to the batter. Scooped with a small cookie scooper. I used one crushed organic candy cane for the double batch since I used peppermint chips. I use as much organic/natural ingredients as possible to get the most delicious cookies and these didn’t disappoint!
Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Laura! xo
Rachael Holley says
I didn’t have peppermint extract or the candy to top it so used a TSP of peppermint schnapps. Next time I’ll use two tsp for a mintier flavor! Loved this recipe. Thanks!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Rachael! xo
jude says
these are perfect. directions were easy. i made little bite sized ones and baked for 10 minutes. as per another commenter, i used andes mints chopped up instead of chips. they are so beautiful with candy cane shards pressed on top. these are very dangerous for me to have in the house! thank you so much for this fabulous recipe.
Yum, that sounds amazing, Jude. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Monica Love says
I made this last night and they turned out pretty darn good, but I did make a few modifications after reading the comments complaining that they were dry.
1) I always measure my flour and sugar by gram weight. This recipe as written could easily become overly dry if you measure with Imperial and accidentally pack your flour.
2) I made a 2x batch, but instead of doubling the peppermint extract (it’s powerful stuff!) I maintained the 1/4 tsp and added 1/4 tsp of vanilla bean paste
3) I started with 2 sticks of butter as written for a 2x. Once my dry ingredients were incorporated, I added a few more tbsp of melted butter, about 4 – so 2tbsp would probably suffice for a 1x. I added it a little at a time until it was about my preferred consistency for cookie dough.
4) I sprinkled the crushed candy cane on prior to baking
They came out chewy in the middle and delicately crisp on the outside, pleasantly pepperminty without being overpowering.
We’re so glad they turned out well, Monica. Thank you for sharing!
Caroline says
Made these today for a cookie exchange! Followed the recipe exactly. They are delicious and pretty! Perfect for the holidays!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Caroline. Thank you for sharing! xo
Kar says
Is the coco powder sweetened or unsweetened?
Unsweetened
Kassondra Kahle says
We followed the directions perfectly, but the cookies were so dry we had to throw them all away. felt so criminal! bad proportions on this recipe! should have just kept it as dough! (The dough was yummy)
We’re so sorry you had a negative experience with the recipe, Kassondra! Would you mind sharing what type of flour you were using?
Krystina says
I’ve made these cookies countless times and followed the instructions to a T. No dryness at all- they were soft and delicious.
Brianna says
Worked great for me! I took out the parchment paper because we are at high altitude and it just worked better to have it out.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Brianna! xo
Anna says
I doubled the recipe and mixed everything by hand (including the dry ingredients since I don’t have a sifter) and they came out great!! I think the finishing touches like pressing a few chocolate chips into the top and before they go in the oven and then sprinkling with crushed candy cane after are what really make these cookies look as good as they taste. Perfect for a holiday party. Will be making again!
Yay! We’re so glad it was a success, Anna. Thank you for sharing! xo
Clare says
This is a awesome cookie! I didn’t use chocolate chips, but instead i added instant coffee! It was delicious!!!! 😋😋
Yum, sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing, Clare! xo
Maggie says
I made this today! What a great cookie for Christmas… I did not stick entirely with the recipe or instructions, I had mint chocolate chips on hand so used them and vanilla rather than peppermint extract because I wanted some chocolate richness and not an overpowering peppermint flavour. I dipped my slightly pressed cookie face into my crushed candy cane and backed with the crushed candy cane on top because I wanted the candy to “bake into” the cookie and not just sit on top. I omitted the additional chips on top. Mine baked for 13 minutes at 350…. My hubby, who is not a cookie eater, did the taste test and loved them… These are an after eight chocolate cookie!!!!! Really good recipe. I doubled the recipe and used my small cookie scoop which netted me 3 1/2 dozen of cookie delights!
Amazing! We’re so glad you both enjoyed these cookies, Maggie. Thank you for sharing! xo
james says
this recipe was strange bcause when i added the dry ingreidients it became very dry
Sorry that happened, James! This one is usually a reader favorite. Did you make any modifications? What type of flour were you using?
Lindsay says
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it for the past few years every December. I saw that it is freezer friendly. Could you please explain how this works? I was hoping to make them ahead, freeze them and travel with them if possible. Thanks!
We’re so glad you love this recipe, Lindsay! You can freeze the already baked cookies and let them thaw at room temperature a few hours before serving. Freezing the dough would be another option. Make the dough, form into balls, and freeze. Then stick in the fridge the night before to slightly thaw and bake as instructed! They might need to bake slightly longer, so watch for preferred texture. Hope that helps!
Gupta, Sharmishtha says
This looks lovely and just what I wanted for a holiday cookie. Could I substitute dairy free (vegan butter) and also split the sugar equally with white and brown?
Hi, we haven’t tested with those modifications, but they should work well. Let us know if you try it!
Cheryl says
Thanks for the recipe! I really love finding recipes to use the whole wheat pastry flour that I have.
If I already have crushed peppermint candy canes, do you have an estimate on how much to use for this recipe? Thank you so much.
Lovely! Always great to be able to use what you have :) That’s a great question. We like to use ~1/2 teaspoon crushed candy cane per cookie, but feel free to use more or less to preference!
Dianne R says
Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes with us! I’m wondering if I can swap the egg for 1 tbsp ground flaxeed mixed with 3 tbsp water and would I need to adjust anything else if I do that? I’m also giving 5 stars for this even though I’ve not made them yet, as everything I’ve made from your recipes is 5-star-delicious and I already know these cookies will be too!
Thank you for your sweet review, Dianne! A flax egg should work well. We’d recommend 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 1/2 Tbsp water. Let us know how it goes!
Dianne R says
Hello again! The recipe worked great with your suggestion, the cookies were a delicious hit!! Thanks so much!
Yay! Thank you for letting us know, Dianne! xo
BR says
This recipe is THE BEST!! Especially for the holiday/Christmas season! Our family loves these!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing. xo
Leslie Ann says
I made these back in December of 2022 and they were absolutely delicious, a hit all around and I posted them for a group on Facebook. Weirdly, yesterday they got flagged and removed by Facebook for being offensive. I guess the powers at be at Facebook find chocolate peppermint cookies offensive, maybe they’re so good they just couldn’t control themselves.
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Leslie! Thank you for the sweet review and for giving us a good chuckle regarding an otherwise stressful situation. We’re hoping they restore all the links ASAP!
Keith O says
Just finished making a batch and they came out amazing! I increased the peppermint extract to almost 1/2 tsp and added the same amount of vanilla. Gooey inside and crisp outside, definitely adding to my repertoire.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Keith!
Kelli Crews says
I used all ingredients listed. I used a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and was able to make 33 cookies with the recipe! I cooked them for 9 minutes to make them a little softer. They are really good! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Kelli!
Kristy says
These were so good! I didn’t tweak the recipe, other than to triple it to get 3 dozen. I think they would be just as good if you don’t have the crushed candy cane, and want to make them when it’s not the holiday season.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Kristy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Krystina says
I made this cookies three times in one week and they were a hit! I had white peppermint chocolate chips so I added those in to the batter.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Krystina! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nancy Goodyear says
These cookies are so delicious! They might be my new favorite cookies for the holidays! I doubled the recipe and stirred the candy canes into the dough. I also used half white sugar an half brown sugar. The texture was great.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Nancy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Janine says
I have made these a few times and while the flavor is delicious—sweet but not too sweet— the texture is just too dry and cakey. I’ve tried using less flour and I’ve tried under cooking them, but neither thing made a difference. The recipe calls for unbleached flour (better for cakes, as I understand) but would bleached be better? Thanks!
Hi Janine! We’re glad you enjoyed the cookies overall! Regular all-purpose flour might help with the moistness of the cookie!
Amelia says
Can I store the dough in the refrigerator for a day or two? I like to try to get things done ahead of time if I can.
That should work!
M Tomasi says
This is now a family favorite. BEST cookie we have ever made. I did not modify anything in this recipe. Friends and family have commented on how good this cookie tastes. MAKE IT!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear everyone enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Emily says
Made these today. They have a good flavor, but are very dry and crumbly. I double checked and did not leave anything out.
Hi Emily, sorry to hear they didn’t turn out right! Did you use whole wheat or all purpose flour? Metric or US measurements? We’d love to help troubleshoot, if possible!
Emily says
I used US measurements for AP flour and sifted it and the cocoa powder.
Hm, we’re a little stumped at what the issue might be! And you didn’t make any modifications?
Randa says
I have had the same issue. I have a note on my recipe from last year that tells me to “use less flour.” Haven’t perfected just how much yet.
Rita says
Hello,
I would like to try making these cookies. I am at 6,000 feet elevation. What modifications, if any, do I need to make.
Thanks!
Rita
Hi Rita, we don’t have experience baking at altitude, so we aren’t able to chime in on this one. Perhaps another reader will be able to help? Or a Google search on general recommendations for baking at altitude!
Molly says
This recipe was easy to make (my six year old helped), used ingredients that we already had on hand, and was a hit! The cookies are soft, delicious, and so flavorful. Everyone loves them so they will now be a regular in my holiday cookie lineup.
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Molly! Thank you for sharing! xo
Kaelyn says
delicious! however, more peppermint extract eould really be betterr
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Kaelyn!