Celebrate the magic of Christmas with thick chocolate peppermint chip cookies. These goodies are loaded with chocolate, peppermint chips, and crushed candy canes, making them a fabulous holiday treat! Santa will be so happy to find them waiting for him on Christmas Eve!
Jump to:
Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies
I love baking cookies and fun treats during the holidays. We have a few tried-and-true favorites, like peppermint Oreo cookies and chocolate mint kiss cookies, that always have to happen. But I love experimenting and testing new ones, too.
These chocolate peppermint cookies have become my new favorite holiday cookie. These cookies were inspired by my thick chocolate chip cookies. They're thick, fudgy, and full of chocolate. I also added my favorite Andes peppermint crunch chips.
Whether you're baking for a party, a cookie swap, or just because chocolate makes everything better, these are guaranteed to be a hit. They add a touch of holiday magic anywhere you share them.
Why You'll Love This Peppermint Cookie Recipe
- No chilling time is required! As soon as you make the dough, it is ready to bake.
- These thick, chewy cookies are loaded with chocolate and peppermint chips, giving you that bakery look and taste without the high price tag.
- They are so easy to make. There are no complicated steps here—just a simple recipe that delivers impressive, crowd-pleasing cookies every time.
- Their large size and festive look make them the perfect addition to holiday parties and cookie swaps. They also make great homemade gifts for friends, neighbors, or teachers.
- You can make a big batch ahead of time, freeze the cookies or the dough, and always have holiday treats ready to go when you need them.
Main Ingredients
This chocolate peppermint cookie recipe uses simple pantry ingredients. Each batch makes 15 big cookies, so prepare for some yummy treats!
- Unsalted Butter: Adds a rich flavor to the dough. For this recipe, you want slightly cold butter. Take it out of the fridge for 30 minutes before making the dough.
- Sugar: Add sweetness and moisture to the dough by combining granulated and light brown sugar.
- Large Eggs: Cold eggs keep the dough colder, so there is less spreading.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a rich vanilla flavor to the dough.
- Peppermint Extract: To add a festive peppermint flavor.
- All Purpose Flour: Stabilizes the dough and controls the cookies' thickness. Read our tips for measuring flour so you avoid adding too much.
- Cornstarch: This is a thickening agent. Adding it to the dough helps the cookies stay soft and chewy. It also stops them from spreading too much.
- Dark Cocoa Powder: I prefer Hershey's special dark cocoa powder because it gives baked goods a deep color and rich chocolate taste. Regular cocoa powder tastes good, but the cookies are lighter.
- Leavening - The combo of baking powder and baking soda allows the cookies to spread and puff simultaneously.
- Mix-Ins: Dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, Andes peppermint crunch chips, plus crushed candy cane pieces make these the perfect holiday cookies.
How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Making the cookie dough for this recipe is incredibly simple! Although scooping and weighing the dough balls may take some time, the delicious taste of these extra-thick cookies will make it all worthwhile.
- Make the chocolate cookie dough. Beat the butter, brown, and white sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and eggs. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Add lots of mix-ins. Gently stir in the chocolate and white chips, peppermint bits, and candy cane pieces. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl so everything is properly mixed in.
- Scoop dough balls. Use a large scoop to make 15 cookie dough balls. Roll each dough ball, split it in half, and press the rough edges together. Place 4-5 at a time on a baking sheet with the rough edges facing up.
- Bake and cool. Bake at a higher temperature for thick cookies with a slightly gooey center. The edges should be golden brown, but the centers will still look undone.
- Add additional chips. Remove the cookies from the hot pan, then place them on a wire rack or parchment paper. Press extra chocolate and peppermint chips into the tops of the warm cookies.
Storage Recommendations
Allow the baked cookies to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
BruCrew Tip: Pop one in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get that "fresh from the oven" texture.
Layer the cooled cookies with parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag or container to freeze them. Freeze for 1-2 months, then thaw before serving.
Freeze cookie dough balls for later. Bake from frozen by adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time, or thaw and bake from there.
Tips and Tricks
- Use cold butter. When making this dough, start with cold butter and set it out for 20-30 minutes before it. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Do not add any more peppermint extract. No one wants a cookie that tastes like toothpaste.
- Use a cookie scoop. Portion your dough onto the baking sheet to make even cookies that bake uniformly.
- Don't overbake. Watch your chunky cookies closely. Remove them from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers still look slightly underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after you remove them.
- Fix uneven edges. To even up the edges of each hot cookie, swirl a large cup around it, then let it cool on the hot pan for a few minutes.
FAQs
Roll the dough into 30 balls, then bake for 7-8 minutes.
You can use Andes peppermint crunch thins, Hershey's candy cane kisses, or Ghirardelli peppermint bark instead of chips.
Using the correct amount of flour and checking your ingredients before baking can prevent cookies from spreading. Old, expired ingredients can also cause a cookie to bake flat.
This cookie recipe calls for cornstarch, so the dough does not need to be chilled before baking.
More Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.
Recipe
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Celebrate the magic of Christmas with thick chocolate peppermint chip cookies. These goodies are loaded with chocolate, peppermint chips, and crushed candy canes, making them a fabulous holiday treat! Santa will be so happy to find them waiting for him on Christmas Eve!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened*
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360g)
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- ¾ cups white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup Andes peppermint crunch baking chips
- ¼ cup crushed candy cane bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract and beat again.
- Add the cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and half the flour and mix slowly.
- Once that is incorporated, add the rest of the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Mix in the chocolate chips, peppermint bits, and candy cane pieces. Using a 4-ounce scoop, make 15 large dough balls weighing 3.6 ounces each. Roll each ball into a round ball.
- For a textured look on top of the cookies, break each dough ball in half and then press the two halves back together again with the center rough edges facing upward. (this is optional; feel free to leave them in a ball.)
- Bake four or five cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. To fix uneven edges, immediately place a large cup around the outside of each hot cookie and make circles around the edges.
- Let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 3-4 minutes before gently moving them to a sheet of parchment paper on the counter.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips and peppermint bits into the tops of the cookies while they are still warm.
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, place them in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use cold butter. When making this dough, start with cold butter and set it out for 20-30 minutes before it. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Do not add any more peppermint extract. No one wants a cookie that tastes like toothpaste.
- Use a cookie scoop. Portion your dough onto the baking sheet to make even cookies that bake uniformly.
- Don't overbake. Watch your chunky cookies closely. Remove them from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers still look slightly underbaked. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after you remove them.
- Fix uneven edges. To even up the edges of each hot cookie, swirl a large cup around it, then let it cool on the hot pan for a few minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 413Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 236mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 5g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Leave a Reply