My daughter made these chocolate peppermint cookies for the family one Christmas, and my taste buds begged for more! If you are a fan of York Peppermint Patties, you’ll want to try these chocolaty, minty cookies on your palate. One caveat: The recipe calls for chilling the cookie dough for at least 3 hours, so give yourself plenty of time.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, light or dark
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, light or dark
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp expresso powder or 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini or regular size
8 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 large candy canes, crushed
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini or regular size
8 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 large candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the white sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts at high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt together until combined. At low speed, slowly mix in the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be pretty thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the chocolate chips. The dough will be sticky. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. If the dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This makes the dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven t0 350º. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop and roll dough into balls and place them on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The baked cookies will look soft in the center when you remove them. Allow cooling for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
- Melt the chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or use the microwave. (For the microwave, heat in 15-second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth). Spread the chocolate over each cookie. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Place cookies back on the baking sheets.
- Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator to help the chocolate set.
- Enjoy!
If you have a cookie swap coming up, you can bake the cookies in advance and freeze them (without the chocolate and candy cane). Decorate after they thaw out.