Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Back in 2008, Mom was asked to bring a dessert to a special Christmas event. One of the ladies there was skeptical when Mom showed up with cookies instead of cake, but with one taste of these delicious cookies, she was convinced they were amazing and asked for the recipe! Ever since, these chocolate peppermint cookies have been a family favorite at Christmas. Although they take some time, you will be delighted with these special little cookies. They have a wonderful crunch from the crushed peppermint and lovely peppermint sweetness from the fluffy icing. 😋🍫
An elegant twist on these is the drizzle of tempered chocolate. Tempering the chocolate is bringing it up to a certain temperature, then cooling it to a certain temperature. This aligns the sugar crystals in the chocolate, making the chocolate crisp and shiny as it sets. If you’re in a hurry, just skip the tempering and add 2 teaspoons of lard when you’re melting the chocolate. It won’t be as crisp, but it’s still a wonderful addition to these cookies.
Please add this recipe to your Christmas baking this year. It’s totally worth it! 😊
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Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (including setting time)
- Yield: 50 cookies 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
Chocolate peppermint cookies are spread with fluffy peppermint icing, sprinkled with crushed peppermints, and drizzled with tempered chocolate for delightful festive treat.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookies
- 1/3 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- A dot of butter (for flattening cookies)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for flattening cookies)
For the Peppermint Buttercream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2–3 tablespoons whole milk
- A few drops of red food coloring
For the Decoration
- 12 round peppermint candies or 4 regular-sized candy canes, crushed
- 1/3 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons lard (optional)
Instructions
Making the Chocolate Cookies (45 minutes + 30 minutes baking time)
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two 11×17″ cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides for an even mix.
- Pour in the egg and 2 tablespoons of the flour and beat well. Add the remaining flour and mix on a lower 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 the 1/3 cup of 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 each cookie is set. Let them cool on the tray for 1 minute, then move them to a wire rack until completely cool.
Making the Peppermint Buttercream (15 minutes)
- While the cookies 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 milk and mix until combined. Gradually add more milk until the icing is a spreadable consistency.
- Beat in the red food coloring a drop at a time until the desired shade is reached. Beat the icing on medium-high speed until fluffy.
- Cover the icing with plastic wrap and set aside until needed.
Icing the Cookies (1 hour)
- Put the peppermint candies or candy canes in an old freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin until they are the desired size.
- Spread a good layer of icing on each cookie, making sure to leave some cookie showing around the edges. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint over each one.
Tempering the Chocolate (20 minutes + 30 minutes setting time)
- To temper the chocolate, stir the chocolate chips over a double boiler until the chocolate reaches a temperature of 113 F. Immediately remove the chocolate from the heat, set on a cool countertop, and let the chocolate cool to 89 F, stirring occasionally.
- 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 30 minutes. Serve.
Notes
- The cookies can be frozen even after they’re decorated.
- Use an accurate thermometer when tempering the chocolate. If you’d rather not temper the chocolate, just add the lard when melting the chocolate chips and skip the cooling time.
- Be careful not to store these cookies with other Christmas cookies, as the peppermint flavor will be absorbed by the other cookies.