Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These double chocolate peppermint cookies are soft, chewy, packed with rich chocolate and subtle peppermint flavor. They are dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermint for the perfect festive holiday cookies. They’re easy to make and perfect for adding to a holiday cookie platter, Christmas baking, or enjoying with a cup of hot chocolate.

Why you’ll love these double chocolate peppermint cookies

Soft, fudgy and chewy: Blooming the cocoa powder in butter brings out the chocolate flavor and helps the cookies get that fudgy texture.
Easy and simple to make: The cookie dough comes together easily by hand, so no need to use a hand or stand mixer. The dough chills for a short period of time making these cookies quick and easy to prepare.
Perfect for holidays: The rich chocolate and subtle peppermint make these Christmas cookies a festive Christmas treat.

Ingredients needed for white chocolate peppermint cookies

Unsalted butter: Add flavor and richness to the cookies.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds moister and helps the cookies be chewy. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread.
Egg: The egg binds the ingredients together. The egg yolk adds richness and helps the cookie be chewy.
Vanilla extract or peppermint extract: Vanilla and peppermint extract add additional flavor to the cookies.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread and keep a soft texture.
Dutch process cocoa powder: Provides the rich and fudgy chocolate flavor.
Flour: All purpose flour provides structure to the cookie.
Chocolate chips: Adds another layer of chocolate. Use semi sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips for a rich chocolate flavor.
White chocolate: Used to dip the cookies.
Crushed candy canes: Adds crunch and a festive pop of color.

Making the chocolate chip peppermint cookies

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt then set aside.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan on low heat.
Add the cocoa powder and stir until combined and smooth. Take off heat. Let the butter mixture cool to room temperature before mixing.
To the cooled butter/cocoa add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk until combined.
Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Whisk until combined.
Add the flour. Stir with a spoon until the cookie dough comes together.
Add the chocolate chips and mix until combined. If dough is difficult to handle, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Scoop dough using a large cookie scoop and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Add more chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough balls. Bake for 7-10 minutes until puffy and no longer shiny. They will still look a little underdone in the center.
Cool completely, then dip in melted white chocolate and sprinkle the top of the cookies with crushed candy canes.

Tips for success

Bloom the cocoa: Don’t skip this step! Blooming the cocoa powder in butter helps bring out that rich, fudgy chocolate flavor.
Measure flour correctly: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup then level the flour with a butter knife. Scooping the flour straight from the flour can cause the flour to compact resulting in dry cookies.
Briefly chill the dough: Chilling the dough will help the dough be less sticky and easier to handle. Chilling also helps the cookies spread less when baking.
Don’t overbake: Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and centers are not shiny. The center should still look soft and underdone. They will continue setting as they cool.
Shape the cookies while they are warm: If your cookies come out uneven, use a large cookie cutter, larger than your cookie to gently scoot it into a round shape.
Cool the cookies completely: Before dipping into melted white chocolate have the cookies cool completely. Warm cookies and cause the white chocolate to melt or slide off.

Why do you need to bloom the cocoa powder?

Blooming the cocoa powder will bring out a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. It also helps the cookies get the fudgy texture.

How long does the dough need to chill?

Chill the cookie dough until it’s easy to handle. Around 20-30 minutes. You can chill it longer if needed. Up to 2 days. However, if you chill for longer you may need to keep the dough at room temperature until you’re able to scoop out the dough as it can become hard.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! Scoop the cookie dough into balls, then freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Add a little extra baking time when baking from frozen.

Can I freeze cookies once baked?

Yes. Allow the cookies and white chocolate to fully set. Store in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag.

Can I use regular cocoa powder?

I recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder for the best flavor and texture. The Dutch processed cocoa powder gives these cookies that extra chocolate flavor.

How do I keep my cookies from spreading?

Cookies can spread if the dough hasn’t been chilled enough. Chill until the dough is easy to handle.

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