Description

Delight in these festive Chocolate Peppermint Snaps, featuring a rich blend of cocoa and peppermint extract combined with semisweet chocolate chips for a perfectly balanced holiday treat. With a tender yet slightly crisp texture, these cookies are ideal for sharing or enjoying alongside a warm cup of cocoa.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (180g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt

Add-ins

1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
Cream butter and sugars: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add egg: Add the large egg to the butter-sugar mixture, beating thoroughly and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
Incorporate extracts: Stir in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, mixing well to distribute the flavors evenly throughout the dough.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl or directly add to the wet ingredients, add the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat or stir until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
Mix in chocolate chips: Fold the semisweet chocolate chips into the dough until evenly distributed.
Portion dough: Drop generous teaspoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Test bake for doneness: Because the cookies are dark-colored, bake 2 or 3 test cookies first to determine the ideal baking time. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes if using parchment-lined sheets or about 10 to 11 minutes on dark baking sheets without parchment.
Bake cookies: Bake all remaining cookies for the determined optimal time, checking for desired softness or crunchiness. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Adjust baking time accordingly for softer or crunchier texture in future batches.
Store properly: Once completely cooled, wrap the cookies airtight and store at room temperature. Due to their sensitivity to humidity, securely wrapping them will help maintain their texture.

Notes

Use parchment paper for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking, especially if your baking sheets are not non-stick.
Test baking a small batch first helps achieve perfect doneness since dark doughs are challenging to judge visually.
If you prefer stronger peppermint flavor, adjust the peppermint extract to taste but don’t exceed 1 1/2 teaspoons to avoid bitterness.
Store cookies in an airtight container to prevent them from getting stale or affected by humidity.
These cookies freeze well; freeze baked cookies in a sealed bag for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chocolate peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, peppermint snaps, chocolate chip cookies, festive desserts