Bring these soft chocolate peppermint cookies to your next holiday party and watch them vanish! The combination of rich cocoa, cool peppermint, and crunchy candy cane topping makes them as festive as they are delicious! A true must-bake holiday cookie.
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I wasn't always a huge fan of chocolate and peppermint. Not sure why it took me so long to come around, but now I can't get enough of it.
At my annual Holiday Cookie Exchange, I look forward to my friend's peppermint bark every year. So I took a good ol' standby, Cook's Illustrated's chocolate crinkle cookies, and gave it the peppermint treatment. I've made these many times since, and they've earned a permanent spot in my lineup of holiday cookie recipes for celebrating the season.
One reader, Debbie, gave them 5 stars and called them "Delish." I'll take it
Why "double" peppermint?
Because the peppermint shows up twice. It's in the dough (peppermint extract plus Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips) and on top (crushed candy canes).
What you get is a cakey, chocolatey cookie with a creamy, minty middle and a little crunch on top. Chocolate + peppermint perfection!
Use peppermint extract, not mint or spearmint. Spearmint and "mint" extracts will make your cookies taste like toothpaste. Look for the word peppermint on the label. I use 1 teaspoon. That's just right for me, but you can add a little more or less depending on how strong you like it.
Getting the dough right
This dough is softer than your average cookie dough. That's normal. It firms up as the melted chocolate cools, which is why the recipe has you let it rest for 10 minutes.
- What it should look like after the rest: Questioning your dough? It should be thick like brownie batter and soft but scoopable.
- Measure your flour carefully. Too little flour is the most common reason a soft dough won't hold its shape. If you're using a kitchen scale to measure your flour, 1 cup = about 120-125 grams.
- Pull them while they look underdone. The edges should be set and the centers still soft. They finish setting as they cool on the baking sheet.
Is your dough too wet or too soft to roll? If this happens, don't panic! Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. This will help the dough become scoopable.
The candy cane topping
I didn't have pre-crushed candy canes on hand, so I crushed my own. About 10 full-size candy canes went into the food processor. I told everyone to cover their ears and pulsed for about 30 seconds. I like leaving some bigger pieces for texture and because they look pretty.
Short on time? You can buy candy canes pre-crushed. Total time saver.
You can dip the tops of the dough balls into the crushed candy or just sprinkle it on and press it in gently.
Reader tip: Debbie found rolling and then dipping to be a pain, so she suggested mixing the crushed candy canes right into the dough instead. I haven't tried it yet, but it would work. Go for it if you'd rather skip a step.
Make them ahead
If you're like me and you're running around like a chicken without its head this time of year, freeze the dough.
Scoop it into balls, freeze them on a baking tray, then move them to a zip-top bag. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, let the dough come to room temperature, then top with crushed candy canes and bake.
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More peppermint cookies to try
If you love this flavor combo as much as I do, my chocolate thumbprint cookies with peppermint filling belong on your cookie tray too.
Now go forth and holiday it up! These are great for cookie exchanges, gift giving, or nibbling while you're waiting for Santa to arrive.
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More Holiday Recipes
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Ingredients
Dy ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Chocolate
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate baking bars chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Mix-in and topping
- 1 cup white chocolate peppermint chunks
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. 1 cup all-purpose flour1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, and peppermint extract until thoroughly combined; set aside. 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chopped chocolate and butter. 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate baking barsMicrowave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.4 ounces unsweetened chocolate baking bars, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whisk melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in flour mixture using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until no dry streaks remain.
- Stir in peppermint chunks. 1 cup white chocolate peppermint chunks
- Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place crushed candy canes in a separate shallow dish. ½ cup crushed candy canes½ cup crushed candy canes
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough and roll between palms into a smooth ball. Lightly dip top of dough ball into crushed candy canes or sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of dough. Transfer dough ball to prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough, being sure to evenly space dough balls on prepared sheets.
- Place cookie sheets into oven, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone), about 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheet before serving.
Notes
- Dough too soft to roll? Place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until it's scoopable.
- Convection oven: Bake about 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
- Candy cane shortcut: Instead of dipping, you can stir the crushed candy canes right into the dough.
- Make ahead: Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a baking tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Let come to room temperature, then top with crushed candy canes and bake.
- Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
Nutrition
Comments
Victoria says
Three eggs and one cup of flour does NOT work. It has the consistency of brown batter; one cannot roll balls. Definitely need to use more flour. I am an experienced baker.
Kimberlee Ho says
I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a good experience with this recipe, Victoria. I can assure you I've made it many times and it works out well for me every time.
Debbie says
Delish, the yummy. The only thing I’d change is put the chopped candy canes in the dough. It’s was a pain to roll & then dip in the candies
Kimberlee Ho says
Great suggestion!