Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe for Holiday Baking

These chocolate peppermint cookies are an ideal Christmas treat for chocolate lovers. Thick and fudgy with a deep chocolate taste, a touch of peppermint and plenty of chocolate chips, they’re finished with a chocolate drizzle and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes once cooled.

Every holiday cookie tray benefits from a chocolate option, and these chocolate peppermint cookies fit the bill. They’re fudgy with chewy centers that are almost gooey, offering an intense chocolate flavor that’s not overly sweet and a refreshing peppermint note. The dough is studded with chocolate chips, and each baked cookie is finished with an extra chocolate drizzle and crushed candy canes for a festive crunch.

If you prefer, you can dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate before sprinkling on the crushed candy canes for a slightly different look and texture.

This recipe is adapted from a popular double chocolate cookie recipe first shared in 2016. It’s a longtime favorite, and these peppermint-spiked cookies are sure to become a regular on your holiday cookie platter.

Method – with Photos

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt so the cocoa and leavening are evenly distributed. Sift the cocoa if it’s lumpy.
2. Cream butter and sugars. This recipe uses more brown sugar than granulated to keep the cookies extra chewy.
3. Beat in egg and extracts. Add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Peppermint extract (not essence) is usually found near vanilla in the baking aisle.
4. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until incorporated; the dough will be thick and sticky.
5. Stir in chocolate chips. Fold in the chips so they’re evenly distributed.
6. Cover and chill. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
7. Prep the oven and trays. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
8. Form the dough into balls. For a holiday tray, make slightly smaller cookies—about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of dough each. Place them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared trays.
9. Bake. Bake 8–11 minutes or until the tops appear just set. Allow cookies to cool on the tray before decorating.

1. Decorate. Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave on medium power, stirring between intervals. Drizzle or dip each cookie, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Make Ahead Advice

Preparing in advance makes holiday baking easier. Here are simple tips for storing and freezing:

• Chilling the dough. Store the covered bowl of dough in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
• Freezing dough balls. Once you’ve portioned the dough into balls, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen and add 1–2 minutes to the bake time if needed.
• Freezing baked cookies. Cool cookies completely, then layer them in a freezer container with parchment between layers. Thaw in the fridge and add the chocolate drizzle and crushed candy canes after thawing.

More Chocolate Christmas Cookies to Try

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Chocolate Blossom Cookies

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Peppermint Mocha Cookies

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

By: Fiona Dowling

These chocolate peppermint cookies are an ideal Christmas cookie for chocolate lovers. Thick and fudgy with a rich chocolate flavor, a hint of peppermint and plenty of chocolate chips, they’re finished with a chocolate drizzle and crushed candy canes.

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Chilling: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 24 cookies

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Equipment

• Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder (60 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (140 grams), softened but not melting
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (140 grams), light or dark
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (about 120 grams)

Chocolate Topping

• 4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate (112 grams), or about 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 3 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

• In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown and granulated sugars until creamed.
• Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract until combined.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated; the dough will be thick and sticky.
• Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats. If chilled overnight, let the dough sit 10 minutes at room temperature to ease handling.
• Scoop dough into balls of about 1–1½ tablespoons each (roughly 1 ounce / 30 g). Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared sheets.
• Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8–11 minutes, or until the tops look set. For thinner cookies, gently press the balls down before baking.
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheet before decorating.

Decorate

• Chop chocolate if using bars, then melt in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water (ensure the water doesn’t touch the bowl) or in the microwave in 45-second intervals on medium power, stirring between intervals until smooth.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over each cookie or paint half of each cookie with chocolate using the back of a spoon. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes and let set.

Notes

1. Cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa lends a deeper, richer flavor, but natural cocoa works too.
2. Butter: Use softened butter that isn’t melting. If you use salted butter, omit the added salt in the recipe.
3. Make Ahead: Dough can chill up to 48 hours. Portion the dough into balls and freeze up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding a minute or two if necessary.
4. Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates based on one cookie with chocolate topping and crushed candy canes.
5. Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 7 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g

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