Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies have a rich chocolate taste and are infused with peppermint. They’re dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for the perfect holiday cookie!
Double chocolate cookies are my absolute favorite. I love the rich chocolate taste, fudgy texture, and double dose of chocolate. And with a glass of cold milk? Perfection.
My soft-batch double chocolate chip cookies are actually one of the most popular recipes on my blog. So I wanted to make a holiday version in time for Christmas to share on Oh Sweet Basil.
The combination of rich chocolate and cool peppermint flavor is the perfect pairing. Then the candy canes make them so pretty for your Christmas cookie exchange.
Ingredients for Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
For the Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Flour: just regular all-purpose flour
- Cocoa Powder: dutch processed cocoa is preferred
- Cornstarch: adds a chewiness to the cookies
- Baking Soda: gives the cookies some rise and fluffiness
- Salt: enhances all the flavors
- Unsalted Butter: softened to room temperature
- Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and rich flavor
- Granulated Sugar: adds sweetness
- Egg: gives the cookies structure
- Peppermint Extract: can be reduced for a milder mint flavor
- Vanilla Extract: adds flavors
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: dark chocolate chips could also be used or a mix of the two
For the Chocolate Peppermint Topping
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: gets melted for the chocolate dip
- Vegetable Oil: helps smooth out the chocolate and gives it a nice shine
- Candy Canes: crushed up for a decorative topping
The measurements for all the ingredients are detailed in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also print and/or save the recipe there.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
To get started, first we make our cookie dough. We whisk together our dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, corn starch, baking soda and salt), so they’re ready to be added to the batter later.
Then we cream together the butter and sugars in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (I like to use a combo of brown sugar and white sugar) – and add in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. The dry ingredients are then carefully added to the wet ingredients, and finally we add in the chocolate chips.
Then it’s time to chill the dough. Chilling is recommended because the double chocolate cookie dough is thick and sticky. If you don’t chill the dough it’ll be hard to form into cookie dough balls and your cookies will spread too thin.
Then after 2 hours (or overnight), it’s time to bake our cookies.
After they cool fully, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and sprinkle with candy canes. I absolutely love these for the holidays, and if you’re a double chocolate fan – or love candy cane hot chocolate – these peppermint double chocolate cookies are for you!
Is Chocolate Good For You?
Chocolate contains flavanols, which are antioxidants.
Antioxidants may reduce damage to cell, which reduces the risk of cancer.
Will Cookies Brown on Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper will help cookie dough bake into evenly browned cookies that hold their shape without cracks.
Using parchment paper creates a thin airy layer between the baking sheet and the paper that helps regulate the temperature, and neutralize hot spots.
Cookies baked on parchment paper slide right off the baking sheets.
Why Do Cookies Come Out Flat?
Butter and sugar make cookies spread. When it comes to taste, there’s really no comparison. Butter wins every time. However, butter has a lower melting temperature than shortening does, so it is more important than ever to refrigerate cookie dough with butter in it.
If you decide to use shortening, refrigerating the cookie dough isn’t quite as important.
When a recipe calls for softening the butter before creaming it with the sugar, be sure you are just softening it. Not melting it. Don’t overbeat the dough.
Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes more, or increase temperature by 25 degrees. Refrigerate the cookie dough.
Tips for Making Double Chocolate Cookies
- This recipe uses brown sugar and white sugar because it makes the cookies extra chewy.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients before adding them to the butter mixture. This helps the batter to mix together evenly.
- If you like richer cookies with a deep chocolate taste, use 1 cup of flour and 2/3 cup cocoa powder as written in the recipe below. However, if you prefer a chocolate flavor that isn’t as rich, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder instead. (See recipe notes.)
- Adding a little cornstarch creates softer, chewier cookies.
- Chill the dough first so your cookies stay thicker. This makes it easier to form the dough into balls.
- After chilling the dough, form it into balls using a cookie scoop. Then gently roll the dough into a ball and flatten slightly.
- Finally, only bake your cookies until the tops look just set. They’ll continue baking slightly as they cool on the cookie sheet.
Storage Tips
These cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for 4-5 days.
They also freeze extremely well. Let them cool completely and then stack them in an airtight container with wax paper or parchment paper in between each layer. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Introducing peppermint double chocolate cookies. The recipe starts with rich, fudgy double chocolate cookies that taste somewhere in between a brownie and chocolate chip cookie. Then we infuse the cookies with peppermint extract, dipping them in melted chocolate, and sprinkling with crushed candy canes. So festive!
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
Print
Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
Description
Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies have a rich chocolate taste and are infused with peppermint. They're dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for the perfect holiday cookie!
Course 100 Best Cookies Recipes on the Planet
Keyword candy cane, chocolate, chocolate chips, christmas, holidays, peppermint
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours hours
Total Time 2 hours hours 24 minutes minutes
Servings 24
Calories 178kcal
Author Fiona
For the Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
For the Chocolate Peppermint Topping
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour, 2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder, 2 teaspoons Cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1/4 teaspoon Salt
In a separate large bowl using a stand or hand-held electric mixer beat the butter until well softened.
10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
With the mixer on medium speed, add in the sugars and beat until no lumps remain.
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Then add in the egg, peppermint extract and vanilla and beat until well combined (about 30 more seconds).
1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract, 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Turn the mixer down to low speed and carefully beat in the flour mixture about 1/2 at a time.
Be careful not to turn the mixer on too high or the flour and cocoa will fly up.
Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a large rubber spatula as necessary.
Once the dry ingredients are evenly mixed in, turn the mixer to low and beat in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick and very sticky.
3/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Scrape off the beaters, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
Once ready to bake, remove the bowl from the fridge and allow the dough to warm up for 20 minutes. (If you chilled the dough overnight, you’ll need to leave it for 30 minutes).
Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop, form the dough into balls 1.5 tablespoons in size.
Roll each into a ball between your hands, flatten slightly, and place on your lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. You’ll end up with about 22-25 cookies total.
Bake cookies for about 7-9 minutes, or until the tops are just set.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully.
I usually cool for 10 minutes on the cookie tray, before transferring to a wire cookie sheet to continue cooling.
Once the cookies are fully cooled, make the topping.
In a medium bowl melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring the chocolate in between each burst. Once fully melted, stir together until smooth.
6 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
Dip 1/2 of each cookie in the melted chocolate, or spread 1/2 of the top of each cookie with melted chocolate using a flat-edge knife or a small rubber spatula.
Place back on your wire rack and sprinkle with crushed candy cakes.
2 Candy Canes
*These cookies have a rich chocolate flavor. If you prefer a milder chocolate taste, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder instead
**Cookies keep well at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Freeze unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 2 months. Then bake the cookie dough balls from frozen. They’ll need about 1 extra minute. Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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If you love peppermint and chocolate, try this fudgy, super moist chocolate cake with peppermint white chocolate frosting.
Or if you love chocolate, try these thick, chewy soft-batch double chocolate cookies.
READ: Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies