Jump to Recipe

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are perfect for Christmas! Fudgy dark chocolate cookies are filled with chocolate chips and peppermint bark pieces, then topped with crushed peppermint candies. A tasty holiday treat!

Plate of chocolate peppermint cookies surrounded by round peppermint candies and square peppermint bark chocolates.

Make Santa a cookie he will really love this year! These chocolate peppermint cookies have double the chocolate. Actually, triple the chocolate! (If you count the chocolate from the peppermint bark alongside the chocolate chips and chocolate cookie dough.)

Not only are there gobs of chocolate in these cookies, there’s plenty of peppermint too — but not so much it tastes like toothpaste.

There’s a hint of peppermint in the fudgy chocolate cookie dough. Pair that with the peppermint bark and crushed peppermint candies on top, and this chocolate peppermint dessert screams Christmas!

Cooling rack full of chocolate peppermint cookies.

Ingredients

I altered these chocolate peppermint cookies from my chocolate cookies and cream cookie recipe because it’s my absolute favorite chocolate cookie and super basic.

Simply adding some seasonal holiday ingredients makes this an extra special Christmas cookie. You will need:

  • Butter – No margarine please. Only the best for holiday cookies. Salted or unsalted is fine.
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Peppermint Extract
  • All-purpose Flour
  • Cocoa Powder – I only ever use Hershey’s Dark Cocoa. It’s my favorite. I love the color and flavor. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works fine too though.
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet is good for loaded treats like this.
  • Peppermint Bark – You can cut up (dark or regular) Ghirardelli Peppermint Squares or Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins. If you can find Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, it will save you the extra dishes.
  • Peppermint Candies – or candy canes. I found it really easy to smash the peppermint candies inside the wrapper and then pour out the crushed pieces. Not sure it would be as simple with candy canes.
Peppermint bark squares chopped on a cutting board with a chef's knife on the side. Measuring cups full of chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies.

How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

  • Cream the butter and sugars.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Mix and scrape bowl.
  • Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add it to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips and peppermint bark pieces.
  • Use a #30 cookie scoop to portion dough into balls. Dip the top of each ball into the crushed peppermint candies and place it onto a baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350˚F for 10-11 minutes.
Collage Image: Top view of chocolate peppermint cookie dough on baking tray with crushed peppermint candy on top. (Top image) Side view of prepared chocolate cookie dough balls on tray with crushed peppermint candy cane on top. (Bottom image)

These cookies are really great fresh from the oven. Nothing beats a warm, gooey chocolate cookie. Store any leftovers in an airtight container up to 5 days.

You NEED these holiday cookies in your life! They are great for holiday neighbor gifts. And Santa will be extra happy to snack on one of these Christmas Eve.

Bite taken out of a chocolate peppermint cookie with candy canes crushed on top.

To Freeze These Cookies:

You can freeze the chocolate peppermint cookie dough balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the frozen dough in a zip-top freezer bag and store the cookie dough in the freezer up to 3 months.

To bake the cookies from frozen, simply place the frozen cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 2-3 minutes longer than written.

If you bake the cookies first, you can still freeze them in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, up to 3-4 weeks.

Cooling rack full of chocolate peppermint cookies.

More Christmas Cookies

FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, OR INSTAGRAM for more great recipes!

Bite taken out of a chocolate peppermint cookie with candy canes crushed on top.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are perfect for Christmas! Fudgy dark chocolate cookies are filled with chocolate chips and peppermint bark pieces, then topped with crushed peppermint candies.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (stir, spoon, & level)
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped peppermint bark (about 10-12 Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares)
  • 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies (about 12 round candies)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Mix and scrape bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until incorporated.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips and peppermint bark pieces.
  5. Use a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 TBSP) to portion dough into balls. Dip the top of each ball into the crushed peppermint candies and place it onto the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. (Take care not to get candy cane pieces on the sides or bottom. They melt easily and can be messy.)
  6. Bake at 350˚F for 10-11 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Notes

  • To freeze dough: Freeze the chocolate peppermint cookie dough balls on a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the frozen dough in a zip-top freezer bag and store the cookie dough in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • To bake the cookies from frozen, simply place the frozen cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 2-3 minutes longer than written.
  • To freeze after baked: If you bake the cookies first, you can still freeze them in single layers divided by parchment paper, wrapped well or in a freezer bag, up to 3-4 weeks.
  • May substitute Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins or Baking Chips for peppermint bark. Or substitute candy canes for peppermint candies.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.

author: Amber Brady / Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies
© Dessert Now Dinner Later. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-create the recipe, snap YOUR OWN PHOTO and re-write the recipe in YOUR OWN WORDS, or link back to this post for the recipe.