Description
Delight in these rich and festive Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, featuring a perfect blend of dark cocoa and refreshing peppermint flavor. Studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and optionally topped with crushed candy cane, these cookies offer a tender, chewy texture and a winter holiday vibe—ideal for sharing or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened dutch-processed cocoa powder (King Arthur Double Dark blend)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Add-ins and Garnish
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 to 4 tablespoons crushed candy cane (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures even distribution and removes any lumps.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream the room temperature unsalted butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: To the creamed butter mixture, add the whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix just until fully incorporated to maintain the dough’s tender texture.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. The dough should be thick and dense.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough to ensure every cookie has delicious chocolate bursts.
- Portion Dough: Using a 2 ½ tablespoon scoop, spoon 8-9 dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the centers are just set but still slightly soft.
- Garnish: While the cookies are still warm, sprinkle crushed candy cane atop each cookie to add a festive peppermint crunch (optional).
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they maintain their shape and texture.
- Repeat Baking: Repeat the scooping, baking, garnishing, and cooling process until all dough is baked. Serve the cookies on a platter and enjoy!
Notes
- For best texture, make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting.
- If you don’t have candy canes on hand, crushed peppermint candies or even peppermint bark work well as garnish.
- The cookies will keep well stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Do not overbake; the cookies should be slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Peppermint Chocolate, Festive Cookies, Cocoa Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies
