These easy Peppermint Oreo Cookies are loaded with cookie chunks and peppermint chips, making them taste amazing! Make a batch for your family this holiday season and watch how quickly they disappear.
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A few years ago I made these chocolate mint cookies, and I have been dreaming about them recently. They seriously taste like a deep fried mint Oreo, and they are heavenly!
For the holidays, I decided to make a peppermint version. And oh my word! These peppermint cookies and cream cookies are seriously one of the best Christmas cookies you will make this year!
They are so easy to make because they start with a box cake mix. I have a serious love affair with easy cake mix cookies!
Why These Oreo Cookies Are The Best
- Easy to make with just a few ingredients.
- Stay soft for days making them the perfect cookie to ship to loved ones.
- Loaded with Oreo cookie chunks and peppermint crunch chips!
- Tastes like Christmas in a cookie!
- Get rave reviews from everyone who tries them.
Main Ingredient Notes
The dough for these peppermint crunch cookies comes together in minutes. In order to keep the cookies from spreading as they bake, you need to refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
- Vanilla Cake Mix - The dry cake mix is the base to the cookie dough.
- Butter & Cream Cheese - Provides the moisture and fat needed for soft, puffy cookies.
- Egg - One large egg helps to bind the ingredients together.
- Extracts - A mixture of vanilla extract and peppermint extract gives the cookies a great flavor.
- Mix-Ins - Chocolate chips, Oreo cookies, and Andes peppermint crunch chips are my favorite things to add to these peppermint cake mix cookies.
FYI: If you love these peppermint Oreo cookies, you have to try these chocolate peppermint crunch cookies. The same delicious holiday cookie, but in chocolate form!
How to make Peppermint Oreo Cookies
For this holiday cookie, I decided to jazz up these cookies and cream cookies with some peppermint extract and peppermint crunch chips. I have been using these peppermint bits for years, and I'm still obsessed with them.
- Make the dough. Mix together the dry cake mix, softened butter, egg, extract, and cream cheese until a soft dough forms. FYI: These cookies seem to work best with a Pillsbury or Aldi cake mix.
- Add the mix-ins. Stir in the Oreo cookie chunks, chocolate chips, and peppermint crunch bits gently.
- Refrigerate the dough. Keep it in there for at least 60 minutes. The longer you refrigerate, the better. The dough should be able to be scooped and rolled without it sticking to your hands.
- Make dough balls. Use a cookie scoop to divide the dough into 24 scoops. Roll the dough into a ball. Place 12 on a baking sheet with a baking mat & the other 12 in the fridge.
- Bake and cool. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, then cool for a few minutes on the hot pan before placing on a cooling rack. Whatever you do, do NOT over bake them! Trust me on this. Yes, the cookies will be very soft and you will think I'm crazy. But cake cookies do set up after cooling.
BruCrew Tip: The cookies may come out of the oven slightly puffy. If you want, you can tap the tops with a flat spatula after 2-3 minutes. It's not necessary, but I like to do that.
Storage Recommendations
On the Counter - Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
In the Freezer - Place cooled peppermint cookies in between layers of parchment paper in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Recipe FAQS
The Andes peppermint crunch chips tend to sell out very quickly each year. You can usually find them on Amazon year round. I also saw Andes peppermint crunch thins at Target that could be chopped into chunks.
You can also chop up Ghirardelli peppermint bars or Hershey's candy cane kisses and use those if you can't find the Andes chips.
You can, but I don't recommend it because candy canes melt down so quickly in heat. You could end up with puddles of melted candy in and around the cookies.
You can freeze the scoops of dough, so you can enjoy hot fresh cookies later. Remove the frozen dough balls and let thaw for about 15 minutes before baking. The dough will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Or you can freeze the baked cookies after they have cooled for a few hours. Make sure to place parchment or wax paper between the cookies to keep them from sticking together. Remove and let thaw to room temperature before serving.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Mint Truffle Kiss Cookies
- Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Homemade Little Debbie Cherry Cordials
- Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies
- Mint Meltaways recipe
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Recipe
Peppermint Oreo Cookies
These easy Peppermint Oreo Cookies are loaded with cookie chunks and peppermint chips, making them taste amazing! Make a batch for your family this holiday season and watch how quickly they disappear.
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix (see note below)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup Oreo cookie chunks
- 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces + extra
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips + extra
Instructions
- Combine the cake mix, butter, egg, extracts, and cream cheese. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Stir in the cookie chunks, peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips gently. Refrigerate the dough for at least 60 minutes. The longer, the better. The dough should not stick to your hands when you roll it.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Scoop or roll the dough into 24 balls. Place 12 on a baking sheet and the other 12 in the fridge.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will be very soft and look undone when you take them out.
- Let the cookies sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes, then gently remove them gently with a thin metal spatula to a piece of parchment paper on the counter.
- If the cookies are extra puffy, tap the tops with the bottom of the flat spatula. Press extra chocolate chips or peppermint pieces into the tops of the hot cookies. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in a sealed container.
Notes
- These cookies seem to work best if a Pillsbury or Aldi cake mix is used.
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are not overly soft. If they are, your cookie dough may need to be refrigerated longer.
- Cake mix cookies do take longer to set up. These are best after cooling on the counter for a few hours.
- Can't find the Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces, use any type of chocolate peppermint candy bar and cut into small pieces.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 179Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies was first published on December 4, 2013. The post and photos were updated, and it was republished on December 4, 2019.
Toni
This is the BEST cookie recipe. I’ve been making these for the past few years and they are always a hit!
Marie
Do you have to use cream cheese?
Jocelyn
Are you wanting to leave it out because of the taste or because you don't have any? I promise that you can't taste it in the cookies, it just gives them such a delicious texture. That being said, they will work if you leave the cream cheese out.
Katie
My SIL makes these every year and puts them in her Christmas cookie tins and when I tell you that my husband talks about them all year long I’m not kidding! I got the recipe this year and can’t wait to make them! Always a hit.
Emily
Hi! I can’t wait to bake three for our streets cookie exchange! I need to bake 100 cookies 😱🤪😂 and have them ready by 4pm on my day. Wondering how long they need to rest on the counter for before they’re ready! I might bake them all the night before if you think that would work. Thanks!
Jocelyn
I am excited you found and chose this recipe to make and share! They do need at least 1-2 hours to cool completely before you put them in a container. I think making them the night before is a great idea! Happy baking!
Ava
So I baked these and they tasted delicious! I added to much batter to the pan and they all melted into each other and it was a big mess so I would recommend putting 6 on a man only instead of 12. Other than that they ended up tasting pretty good and definitely a delicious treat for Christmas !
Jocelyn
Oh, no! I'm so sorry that happened. What size was your baking sheet? I have never had cake mix cookies melt into each other, but I always make sure they are at least 2-3 inches apart on a half sheet pan. Other than the dough not being chilled enough, the pan size is the only thing I can think of that would make them spread that much. I'm glad you still were able to enjoy them!
Amy
These are now my families favorite cookies. I have changed the peppermint and done different flavors for different occasions. These are the most requested cookies from my friends for get togethers, pot lucks and even bake sales. Thank you for posting this recipe, you have made my life so much easier.
Molly
These are so so so good! Everyone raved about them too. I made them gluten free with no problems. I used King Arthur's gluten free yellow cake mix. That particular one is a bigger amount than traditional cake mix box so I didn't use the whole bag; I just eyeballed the amount. I also baked some that weren't chilled and only rested for about 10 minutes. Thye baked up great and were perfect! Both versions (chilled and unchilled) turned out the exact same for me. Now, I can't say that would be the case for others as it seems to depend on the cake mix you use. For those that are gluten free, I highly recommend using the king arthurs gf cake mix.
Tonya
How many oz of cake mix? I made my own anddddd inflation has made box sizes smaller recently. Just want to make sure I use the right amount. Ty!!!
Jocelyn
I usually use the Pillsbury cake mixes that are 15.25 oz. I hope that helps and you enjoy the cookies!
Bethanne
I found this recipe while searching for new cookie recipes. Made these for Christmas 2022 cookie trays and they came out just as pictured. I got lots of great comments on them! I will definitely be making these again! Thank you for a great cookie recipe!
Jocelyn
I am so happy to hear that these cookies were a hit! Happy holidays!