Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Christmas in a cookie! These chewy chocolate peppermint cookies are all you need over the holiday season. Great fun for the kids to join in with too. Perfect for cookie exchanges or as a homemade Christmas gift!
I love a good holiday cookie, don’t you? I think these cookies with their festive flavour, make for a really lovely bake this season. The kids will love it too!
I chose to sprinkle on crushed up peppermint candy canes which I found at my local pound store. You could also use peppermint sweets if you’re having trouble finding some.
Note: These chewy chocolate cookies are made with the creaming method as apposed to melting butter. The butter needs to be really cold to achieve the chewy, cake-texture. More on this below!
Another scrumptious cookie to make to give to friends would be my brown butter cookies. SO delicious!
Why should I make these peppermint cookies?
- They make for a fun, festive bake over the holiday period.
- You could always serve these chocolate peppermint cookies in a jar and give as gifts!
- Chocolate and peppermint is always a good flavour combo.
- Dunk into a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy in front of the fire – perfect!
Timings
Prep Time
10 mins
Cooktime
25 mins
Total time
35 mins
Servings
8-10
Ingredients needed:
Here’s what you needed to cook up a chocolate peppermint cookie storm in your kitchen! For measurements, see recipe card below.
Plain flour – flour gives the cookie structure which is of course a must!
Cocoa powder – to give the cookies its chocolate flavour.
Unsalted butter – a high proportion of butter to flour means the cookie will spread more and result in a tender texture.
Bicarbonate of soda – Bicarb is a chemical way of leavening (rising) the cookie. Bicarb also gives a denser texture.
Salt – salted should always be added to a cookie to offset the sweetness and bring out the flavours.
Granulated sugar -Gives the cookie its sweetness but also a nice spread.
Light brown sugar – A toffee flavour but also gives the cookie and chewier texture. Also, an acid in brown sugar reacts with the bicarb to help give a rise.
Eggs – Like flour, eggs help give the cookie structure.
Peppermint extract – For that perfect Christmas, minty flavour! A small drop goes a long way.
Crushed candy canes – A fun topping also adding texture and colour to the cookie.
Sparkling icing sugar (optional) – A bit of glitz at Christmas is always good. I’ve linked where I got mine from (Waitrose Christmas Sparkly Snow).
Festive hundreds and thousands/nonpareils – Red and green nonpareils always make for a good holiday baking decoration!
Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Step by Step
Step 1 – The cookie dough: Cream together your butter and sugars (granulated & light brown sugar) using a stand mixer or hand whisk, until light and fluffy. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
Step 2 – Add in the egg and peppermint extract and mix in well. Don’t worry if it curdles a little; it’ll be rectified once you add in the flour.
Step 3 – Mix together the flour, cocoa power, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl. Fold into the egg/butter mix until well incorporated.
Step 4 – Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Scoop out a dessert spoon worth of dough and roll into a ball. Continue until the tray is full (rows of 2 or 3 – leave plenty of space between each ball). You should be able to fit 8 balls (the recipe makes 8 cookies minimum).
Step 5 – Baking: Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins. They will appear soft when they come out of the oven but will harden when left to cool on the tray. Leave for 5 mins. Lift to cool on a wire rack.
Step 6 – Decoration: Once cool, sprinkle with crushed candy canes (I used the end of rolling pin to crush mine), Christmas sprinkles and sparkly icing sugar (all optional).
Equipment needed
Mixer with paddle attachment for creaming
Measuring spoons
Bowl
Spatula for folding
Tea towel and rolling pin to crush the candy canes in (see tip below!)
Large baking tray
Greaseproof paper
Wire rack
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did I use the creaming method to make these cookies?
The creaming method is crucial to creating a cake-like, chewy cookie. Creaming butter and sugar together allows more air to enter the cookie. This is called mechanical leavening.
Are chocolate peppermint cookies suitable for vegans and vegetarians?
These cookies are suitable for vegetarians but not vegans due to the use of egg. You could always use an egg replacer but I’ve not tested it myself. How about checking out these easy vegan chocolate cookies from Lazy Cat Kitchen.
Are these cookies gluten-free?
These cookies are not gluten-free but you could replace the plain flour with gluten-free plain flour. If you’re looking for a gluten-free chocolate peppermint cookie recipe, how about trying these gluten-free triple chocolate peppermint cookies from What The Fork Food Blog.
How do I store these cookies?
Make sure you store your cookies post-bake in a sealed container at room temperature. They’ll keep at best for 3-4 days.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes! Put any leftover cookie (or if you double-batch) in a Tupperware container and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost well and shape as per the recipe.
Cookie Tip!
For less spread in your cookie, chill your dough in the oven for 24 hours. Shape and cook straight from the fridge because if you let your cookie come to room temp, it will no longer work.
How to easily crush candy canes: place your candy canes inside a clean tea towel, fold over and hit hard with a rolling pin until crushed!
Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attatchment (or hand whisk)
- Measuring spoons
- Small bowl
- Spatula
- Tea towel and rolling pin
- Large baking tray
- Greaseproof paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 70 g soft light brown sugar
- 70 g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 100 g plain flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 g salt
- 4 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Cream together your butter and sugars (caster sugar and light brown sugar) using a stand mixer or hand whisk, until light and fluffy. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
- Add in the egg and peppermint extract and mix in well. Don't worry if it curdles a little; it'll be rectified once you add in the flour.
- Mix together the flour, cocoa power, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl. Fold into the egg/butter mix until well incorporated.
- Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Scoop out a dessert spoon worth of dough and roll into a ball. Continue until the tray is full (rows of 2 or 3 – leave plenty of space between each ball). You should be able to fit 8 balls (the recipe makes 8 cookies minimum).
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins. They will appear soft when they come out of the oven but will harden when left to cool on the tray. Leave for 5 mins. Lift to cool on a wire rack.
- Once cool, sprinkle with crushed candy canes (I used the end of rolling pin to crush mine), Christmas sprinkles and sparkly icing sugar (all optional).
Nutrition
More cookie recipes –
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies
