Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe

Stacked chocolate peppermint cookies with one bite missing.

5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are soft, rich, and festive with cocoa, chocolate chips, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time18

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet, milk, or both
¼ cup crushed candy canes peppermint puffs, or peppermint crunch baking chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, peppermint extract, and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop cookies (using a medium cookie scoop) out onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Top with additional chips as soon as they come out of the oven as well as crushed candy canes.
Transfer to a cookie rack and let cool.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Use softened butter so the dough creams together smoothly.
Measure the peppermint extract carefully since a little goes a long way.
Fold in the chocolate chips gently so they stay evenly mixed throughout the dough.
Add extra chips and crushed candy canes right when the cookies come out of the oven so they stick.
Make-ahead tip: scoop the dough ahead and refrigerate or freeze the dough balls, then bake and top when ready.

Store baked cookies. Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freeze baked cookies. Freeze cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Add 1 to 2 extra minutes to the bake time, then top with chocolate chips and peppermint while warm.

Store cookie dough. Freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months.

- Log form: Divide the dough into two sections and form each section into a log shape. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap and store them together in a freezer Ziploc. Thaw before shaping and baking.

- Cookie dough balls: Place cookie dough balls together on a baking sheet and freeze. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer Ziploc. Bake them directly from the freezer; just add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

Store cookie dough. Store chocolate peppermint cookie dough covered in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking.

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