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Home » Dessert » Cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Published: Nov 16, 2019 · Modified: Mar 12, 2022 by Emma · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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A chewy chocolate cookie topped with fluffy peppermint frosting--not to mention the crushed candy canes and chocolate drizzle--make these cookies a refreshing and addictive Christmas cookie.  This is definitely one recipe that you need to try this holiday season!

person holding a plate of chocolate peppermint cookies

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  • How to Make
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Questions

What are chocolate peppermint cookies?

These treats are made up of a plain, chewy chocolate cookie and a layer of peppermint icing.  They are finished off with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes and a drizzle of dark chocolate.  What could be better?

How do you store them?

They keep at room temperature for up to 7 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Keeping them in an airtight container or metal tin is the best way to keep them fresh.  Just remember that it's best to keep these treats in their own container, as other cookies tend to absorb the strong flavor and smell of peppermint.

plate of chocolate peppermint cookies

Packaging for Gifts

Your friends and neighbors would be so happy to receive some of these sweets at a Christmas cookie exchange!  Simply store them away in a festive Christmas tin, and you're all set.

chocolate peppermint cookies in a metal cookie tin

Can you freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze them before or after they are decorated.  I like to freeze them once they're fully decorated, since you can pull one out for a snack anytime.  Whether plain or decorated, they should keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze, just seal them in a freezer zip-top plastic bag or airtight container.  Do not put any other kinds of cookies in the bag, or they will pick up the peppermint odor.  Defrost them at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before eating.

plastic freezer bag filled with chocolate peppermint cookies

How to Make

These treats are made up of a few components: a chewy chocolate cookie, fluffy peppermint frosting, and a topping of crushed candy canes and drizzled chocolate.

Let's start by making the cookies.  Gather the ingredients; you'll need all-purpose flour, sugar, unsalted butter, an egg, dark chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and salt.

ingredients for chocolate peppermint cookie dough

Melt the dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Stir occasionally until it is fully melted, then let it cool as you begin to mix up the batter.

melted chocolate in a stainless steel bowl with a spatula

Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.

creamed butter and sugar mixture in a mixing bowl

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then pour in the melted chocolate, the egg, and a couple spoonfuls of flour and mix until blended.

chocolate, egg, and butter mixture in a mixing bowl

Add the rest of the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms.

chocolate peppermint cookie dough in a mixing bowl

Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Keep the dough balls about 2 inches apart, as they will be flattened.

balls of chocolate cookie dough on a cookie sheet

Butter the base of a flat-bottomed glass, then dip it into granulated sugar.  Press down each cookie with the sugared glass, dipping it into the sugar after flattening each cookie.

flattened chocolate cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet

Bake each tray at 375 F for 6-8 minutes apiece, until the edges are set.  Let them cool completely on wire racks.

baked chocolate cookies on a wire cooling rack

Now that the cookies are baked, let's make that peppermint frosting.  You'll need powdered sugar, unsalted butter, heavy whipping cream, peppermint extract, and red food coloring.

ingredients for peppermint frosting

Beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy.

beaten butter in a mixing bowl

Sift in the powdered sugar.  Don't skip the sifting, as the frosting will be lumpy if you do.

sifting powdered sugar into a bowl

Mix in the sugar until smooth.

butter and sugar mixture with a mixer

Add the peppermint extract to taste, and some heavy cream to make the frosting a spreadable consistency.  Tint the frosting a pretty pink with a few drops of red food coloring. 

peppermint icing in a glass bowl with a mixer

Spread the peppermint frosting on each cookie, leaving some of the cookie showing around the edges.

spreading peppermint frosting on chocolate cookies

For the topping, you'll need more dark chocolate chips, candy canes, and coconut oil.  You can use round peppermints, full sized candy canes, or mini candy canes--whatever you have on hand.

glass bowls of candy canes, chocolate chips, and coconut oil

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over a saucepan of simmering water like you did earlier, then take it off the pan and let it cool for 15 minutes.  Then, pour the melted mixture into the corner of a plastic sandwich bag and twist the top to create a mini piping bag.

piping bag full of melted chocolate with a bowl and spatula

Put the candy canes in a sandwich bag and crush them with a rolling pin or meat mallet until small, but not powdery.

crushing candy canes with a rolling pin

Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top.

chocolate peppermint cookies with crushed candy canes on top

Snip the corner off of the piping bag and drizzle the chocolate on top of each cookie.  Let it set for 15 minutes before enjoying.

chocolate peppermint cookies on a wire cooling rack

Pro Tips

  • Press down the cookies with a glass dipped in sugar.  Otherwise, the cookie dough will stick to the glass.
  • Is the icing too thick or too thin?  Add more cream to thin the icing, or more powdered sugar to thicken it.
  • Taste the peppermint icing to make sure that it has the right balance of sugar and peppermint to your tastebuds.
  • Don't have 4 regular-sized candy canes?  Use 12 round peppermint candies or 12 mini candy canes instead.
  • Is the crushed peppermint sticking to your fingers?  Dip your fingers in powdered sugar to reduce the stickiness.
  • Want to make these ahead?  Freeze the decorated treats in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

top view of a plate of chocolate peppermint cookies

Recommended Tools

  • Silicone Spatulas: this set of Wilton spatulas is one of my all-time favorite baking tools.
  • Handheld Electric Mixer: no need for a fancy Kitchenaid! This mixer makes perfect fluffy frostings.
  • Mesh Strainers: using these stainless steel sieves for sifting powdered sugar is a breeze!
  • Angled Spatulas: these handy tools make spreading frosting SO quick and easy.
  • McCormick Peppermint Extract: definitely a must-have for an awesome minty flavor.

Other Christmas Cookies

  • Mexican Wedding Cookies
  • Cardamom Snaps
  • Earl Grey Shortbread
  • No Bake Cookies
  • Nanaimo Bars

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

person holding a chocolate peppermint cookie

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These chewy chocolate peppermint cookies are full of dark chocolate and crunchy peppermint pieces.  Each cookie is topped with fluffy peppermint frosting.  These might be the best Christmas cookie you make this year!
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate mint cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 129kcal
Author: Emma

Ingredients
 

For the Chocolate Cookies

  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, melted
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar, for flattening cookies

For the Peppermint Frosting

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • A few drops of red food coloring

For Decoration

  • 4 regular-sized candy canes, crushed
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon coconut oil
US Imperial - Metric

Instructions

Making the Chocolate Cookies (40 min + 20 min baking)

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Line two 11x17-inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Pour the chocolate chips into a shallow heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Make sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water.  Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted, then remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Beat in the sugar, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides for an even mix.
  • Dump in the melted chocolate, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the flour and beat well.  Add the remaining flour and mix on medium-low speed until well combined.
  • Drop the mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing each cookie two inches apart.
  • Butter the base of a flat-bottomed glass and dip it into granulated sugar.  Flatten the balls of dough with the glass, dipping it into the sugar after each cookie.
  • Bake each tray individually at 375 F for 6-8 minutes, until the cookies are set around the edges.  Let them cool on the tray for 1 minute, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Peppermint Frosting (15 min)

  • While they are cooling, beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy.  Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides and base of the bowl for an even mix.
  • Add the peppermint extract and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and mix until combined.  Gradually add more cream until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.
  • Beat in the red food coloring a drop at a time until the desired shade of pink is reached.  Beat the frosting on medium-high speed until fluffy.

Decorating (25 min + 15 min setting)

  • Put the candy canes in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they are fairly small, but not powdered.
  • Spread a layer of peppermint frosting on each cookie, making sure to leave some cookie showing around the edges.  Sprinkle the crushed peppermint over each one.
  • Melt the remaining chocolate and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, as you did for the cookies.  Set the chocolate aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Once the chocolate has cooled, spoon it into the corner of a sandwich bag, twist the top, and snip off the corner to create a little piping bag.
  • Drizzle the chocolate in a random pattern over each cookie, then let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes.  Serve.

Notes

  • Press down the dough with a glass dipped in sugar to reduce the dough sticking to the glass.
  • Icing the wrong consistency?  Add more cream to thin the icing, or more powdered sugar to thicken it.  Be sure to taste it and add more peppermint extract to taste.
  • Don't have regular-sized candy canes?  Use 12 round peppermint candies or 12 mini candy canes instead.
  • Crushed peppermint sticking to your fingers?  Dip your fingers in powdered sugar to reduce the stickiness.
  • Make ahead?  Freeze the decorated cookies in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal (6%)Carbohydrates: 20g (7%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mg (5%)Sodium: 35mg (2%)Potassium: 27mg (1%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 16g (18%)Vitamin A: 134IU (3%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 12mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

This recipe was originally published on November 15, 2017.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brenda Kaufman

    December 07, 2019 at 9:52 am

    5 stars
    Hello from Hanover Ontario. Met you at church. My husband enjoyed cookies straight from oven.. Our 13-year-old granddaughter decorated them according to your directions. I’m going to make another batch they were very successful and popular. I’m going to try your gingerbread Bundt cake today.

    Reply
    • Emma

      December 08, 2019 at 9:40 am

      It was very nice to meet you, Brenda! I'm reallyglad to hear that the cookies were so popular--they definitely are in our house. 😊 Please check back and tell us how the gingerbread bundt cake went!

      Reply
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Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. As self-taught cooks and bakers, we love to inspire you to cook from scratch with real food for your family. Increase your kitchen confidence with our tempting recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts.

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