Peppermint Cookies are a festive twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. A soft, buttery cookie full of crunchy peppermint pieces, and rich, sweet chocolate chunks. They are the perfect holiday cookies!
These Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies are such a fun holiday treat. It is a great recipe for Christmas, cookie exchanges, family gatherings, or just a fun sweet treat for a winter night! The rich, sweetness of the chocolate balances out the minty flavor or the peppermint just like in my Peppermint Bark Brownies.
If you're looking for more tasty cookie recipes check out my Pistachio Cookies, Ginger Cookies, or Brown Butter Cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The flavor balance of the buttery cookies, the minty taste of the peppermint, and the sweetness of the chocolate is delightful. You can find a similar balance in my Peppermint Macarons.
- The bright pops of red from the peppermint adds decoration to these cookies without any extra effort. The decoration is built into this Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake as well.
- These are the chocolate chip cookies you know and love with a fun, festive twist. Like my Brown Butter Cookies!
- This is an easy recipe that is so tasty and will make a great addition to your holiday dessert table. As will my Pistachio Cookies.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Peppermint will add flavor and texture to this recipe. I roughly chopped up candy canes but any type of peppermint candy will do.
- I prefer semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use whatever you prefer. If you’re wanting puddles of chocolate chop up a chocolate bar instead of using chocolate chips. Find the same delicious chocolate puddles in my Dairy Free Brownies.
- Measuring the all-purpose flour correctly is very important. I suggest weighing your flour out. If you want to use a measuring cup, make sure you spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Don’t use the cup to scoop directly from the flour.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you'd rather not use peppermint candies to add flavor to these cookies you can add peppermint extract to your liking.
- I used semi-sweet chocolate but you can use white, milk, or dark chocolate. You can easily switch out the chocolate in my Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar as well.
- Swap out the chocolate for broken up Oreos. Get more Oreo flavor in my Oreo and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Instead of chocolate and peppermint candies you can use peppermint Lindor truffles or peppermint Kiss candies to get the chocolate and peppermint in one.
- Add some instant coffee to the cookie dough for Peppermint Mocha Cookies. I use instant coffee in my Coffee Scones.
- If you're looking for more of a Peppermint Sugar Cookies vibe you can leave the chocolate out all together. I do the same in my Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. dd the eggs one at a time, mixing fully before adding the next. Pour in the vanilla and combine.
STEP 2: In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix. Mix in the chocolate and the peppermint. Do this until just combined. Cover the cookie dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes. If you love cookie dough you should try out my Edible Cookie Dough Recipe.
STEP 4: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
STEP 5: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
STEP 6: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet.
Expert Baking Tips
- Chill your cookie dough. I know skipping this step is tempting (you want your cookies as quickly as possible and I can’t blame you for that!) but don’t do it! Chilling cookie dough prevents the cookies from overspreading. This can cause them to be thinner, and crispier, and change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold. Using an oven thermometer ensures that you are baking your cookies at the perfect temperature.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cookies. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your cookie dough, which can lead to greasy cookies.
- Weigh your ingredients. One of the most common baking mistakes that I see is measuring incorrectly, especially with flour. The best way to get accurate measurements every time is to weigh them with a kitchen scale.
- Use a cookie cutter to shape your cookies after baking. If you shake a cookie cutter around the cookies when they are fresh out of the oven they will be perfectly round and more visually appealing.
Recipe FAQ's
The butter was probably too warm when you baked the cookies. This is why I recommend resting the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
You sure can! I recommend scooping the cookie dough while it is soft and then placing it in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two months.
Room Temperature: The Peppermint Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container the cookies will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: I recommend scooping the cookie dough and freezing it on a baking sheet, then transferring them to an air-tight container. That way you can pull out one or two cookies whenever you’d like them. I leave them sitting out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then bake them normally. The dough will last up to 2 months.
You can also bake the cookies and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Peppermint Cookies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- 1 ½ sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (213 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (255 grams) chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
- ½ cup (88 grams) peppermint roughly chopped
Instructions
For Cookies:
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing fully before adding the next. Add the vanilla and combine.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Mix in the chocolate and peppermint.
- Cover the cookie dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Make scoops of cookie dough about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons in size. Place at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet.
Notes
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
- Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cookies. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your cookie dough, which can lead to greasy cookies.
- Chill your cookie dough. I know skipping this step is tempting but don’t do it! Chilling cookie dough prevents the cookies from overspreading. This can cause them to be thinner, and crispier, and change the overall flavor of the end product.
- Use a cookie cutter to shape your cookies after baking. If you shake a cookie cutter around the cookies when they are fresh out of the oven they will be perfectly round and more visually appealing.
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