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These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are loaded with semi-sweet, white, and dark chocolate plus crushed peppermint. They’re soft, chewy, and so easy to make.
Chocolate peppermint is a very underrated flavor combination, but it’s one of my favorites, whether it’s my homemade thin mints, peppermint Oreo balls, or these chocolate peppermint cookies.
The combination of rich semi-sweet chocolate with peppermint is just so good. And I think it’s one we should be enjoying year-round, starting with this chocolate peppermint cookies recipe. They’re loaded with three types of chocolate and infused with peppermint flavor in every bite. Not to mention easy to make. What’s not to love?!
Why I Love These Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Rich & chocolatey. These cookies have such a rich, deep chocolate flavor. The dough is made with cocoa powder AND melted chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate chips are mixed into the dough, while more white chocolate and some dark chocolate are pressed into the outside of the dough balls.
- The perfect amount of peppermint. The peppermint flavor in this chocolate peppermint cookies recipe comes from peppermint extract in the dough and crushed peppermints on top. It’s just the right amount for a noticeable peppermint flavor that pairs nicely with the chocolate.
- Soft & chewy. These cookies stay delightfully soft and chewy after being baked. The edges are set while the centers stay extra soft – exactly how I like my cookies! All of the melted chocolate adds an almost fudgy texture too. So good.
Recipe Ingredients
These cookies are made with pantry staples, crushed peppermints, and a variety of chocolate chips. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour – I recommend spooning the flour into the measuring cup then leveling it with a knife for accurate measuring. Too much flour, which you tend to get if you scoop the measuring cup into the flour, will make these cookies dry.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Adds the chocolate flavor to the dough.
- Baking powder – Helps the cookies rise in the oven.
- Salt – Balances the sweet flavors.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet chocolate chips are melted with butter and stirred into the batter to add more of a rich chocolate flavor to the dough.
- Butter – The butter should be soft enough to cube but not melted. Keep in mind this recipe uses one stick plus one Tablespoon. That extra Tablespoon is important!
- Extracts – I used both vanilla extract and peppermint extract to get the perfect flavor in these cookies. I found that just peppermint was a little too strong. Be sure to measure the extract as peppermint extract is very potent!
- Sugar – Both regular white sugar and light brown sugar are used in these cookies. I used a little more brown sugar than white, which helps add moisture to make the cookies nice and chewy.
- Eggs – Let them come to room temperature first.
- Milk – Not always necessary but helpful to add if the dough is a bit too dry.
- Mix-ins – I loaded these cookies with additional semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate morsels, and crushed peppermint candy (or candy canes).
How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Here’s an overview of how to make these cookies. They’re so easy! The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Start the dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, stir together the sugars and extracts.
- Add the chocolate. Microwave the butter and a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in 15-second intervals until fully melted and smooth. Be sure to stir each time and not overheat. Stir the melted chocolate into the sugars.
- Make the dough. Beat the sugars and chocolate until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat on medium-low until combined with no streaks of flour. Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
- Add milk. If the dough appears too dry, mix in one Tablespoon of milk at a time. The dough should be smooth, shiny, and not too chunky.
- Shape the cookies. Use a cookie scoop to scoop spoonfuls of dough. Roll them in your hands to create a smooth ball. Place on the baking sheet two inches apart. Press dark chocolate morsels and white chocolate chips into the top of each dough ball.
- Bake. Bake for 14-16 minutes. The edges of the cookies should be set. Press a few more white chocolate chips or dark chocolate morsels into each cookie. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
- Cool. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Tips for the Perfect Cookies
Here are a few tips for achieving perfectly chewy chocolate peppermint cookies, as well as a few ways to add either more chocolate or peppermint flavor.
- Intensify the chocolate flavor. If you’d like to intensify the chocolate flavor, try adding 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the flour mixture. It will not make the cookies taste like coffee but deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Add more peppermint. Feel free to swap any of the chocolate chips for peppermint chips to add more peppermint flavor to the cookies. The white chocolate chips are the easiest to swap while still maintaining lots of chocolate flavor.
- Only add milk as needed. You may not need to add milk to the dough, especially if the flour was measured precisely. If the dough is already smooth and shiny, you can skip that step. Otherwise, add only as much as you need, starting with one Tablespoon.
- Bake one cookie first. I always recommend baking one cookie first to see exactly how the cookie dough bakes and how long the ideal bake time is. If you bake a cookie and it’s more on the chunky side versus smooth, then you’ll need to add a little milk to your dough.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. Store chocolate peppermint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Freezer. The baked cookies can also be frozen. Once they’ve cooled completely, transfer to a ziploc bag or other freezer-safe container. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw on the counter (or pop one in the microwave).
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are loaded with semi-sweet, white, and dark chocolate plus crushed peppermint. They’re soft, chewy, and so easy to make.
Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed (one stick)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter cubed
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips + a few extra for adding to the top of the cookies
- 1-5 Tablespoons milk optional if your dough is too dry.
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate morsels
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and peppermint extracts to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add the cubed butter and 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Microwave on high in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter is fully melted and smooth.
- Add the melted chocolate to the sugars and stir to combine.
- Either use a hand mixer with this bowl or add the wet components to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat on medium until fully combined and smooth.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet and mix on medium-low until the flour has no more streaks.
- Add the remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips and mix on slow until just combined.
- If the dough is dry, you can add one Tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough is smooth and shiny and not too chunky.
- Use a cookie scoop to grab a spoonful of dough at a time, roll the dough in your hands to create a smooth ball, then place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing each cookie ball approximately two inches apart.
- Gently press a few dark chocolate morsels and a few white chips into the top of each cookie ball. You can add more after the cookies are baked as well.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges of the cookie are set.
- Remove from the oven and press a few more chips into each cookie. Sprinkle a few pinches of peppermint crumbs over each cookie. Allow to cool for a few minutes before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.
Last Step:
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Store chocolate peppermint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 81mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg
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