Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

This recipe was provided by Megan Faulkner Brown, founder of The Sweet Tooth Fairy Gourmet Bake Shop. Check out all the sweet things you can order online. And if you’re in the Salt Lake City area, there are four locations where you can treat yourself in person!

One of the pure joys of the holiday season is the welcomed sweet flavor of peppermint. And when mixed with a chocolate cookie, it’s absolute bliss!  

How did peppermint become such a staple of the Christmas season? Legend has it that in 1670, a choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral handed peppermint out to children at their living Nativity, to keep them occupied. The candy was shaped to look like a shepherd's staff as it still is today. 

We don’t have any sheep at SANTA.COM, so we're all about crushing those candy canes for these delicious cookies. The chew plus the crunch is pure holiday delight!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe

• Prep time: 15 mins

• Cook time: 10 mins

• Total time: 25 mins

• Servings: 

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

• 4 large eggs 

• 1 Tbsp peppermint extract

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup peppermint candy canes, crushed, plus 1 cup for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3. Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.  

4. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and cream ingredients on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

6. Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the batter with the peppermint extract. Mix on low speed until ingredients are evenly mixed.

7. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes.

8. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.

9. Gradually pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, adding a little bit at a time. Mix on low speed until everything is completely blended together. 

10. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

11. Add all the chocolate chips and ½ cup crushed candy canes to the mixture. Mix on low speed until chips are well dispersed throughout the dough.

12. Form the dough into balls either by using a cookie scoop or melon baller, or by rolling them into golf-ball sized portions.

13. Place the remaining 1 cup crushed candy canes in a shallow dish and roll each dough ball until evenly coated.

14. Ideally, chill the dough balls for 30 minutes (if you have the time and/or patience to do so. If not, that is just fine).

15. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between the dough balls to allow for spreading.

16. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and almost set.

17. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Don’t make the crushed candy cane coating too thick - it will melt during cooking and become gooey if it’s too thick.

• Cookies can be stored in an airtight container/bag at room temperature for a few days or in the freezer for a few weeks.

Variations

• Dip one half of each cookie in melted dark or white chocolate after baking. Or coat the entire cookie for an extra-chocolatey treat!

• Shape into bars rather than rounds - perfect for dipping into Crockpot Hot Chocolate!

• Shape the dough into a log and freeze - you can slice off rounds throughout the holiday and and bake as you need them.

• Make the cookies into a thicker ball and tuck a Junior Mint inside for more minty goodness!

SANTA.COM… MAKING HAPPY HAPPEN™

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