If you love the combo of chocolate and peppermint AND the softness of a Lofthouse cookie these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are for you! They have the perfect blend of chocolate and peppermint flavor topped with creamy frosting and crushed candy canes or starlight mints in a light, airy, soft cookie.
These yummy cookies will remind you of peppermint bark. The rich chocolate flavor and peppermint flavors and peppermint candies on top make perfect cookies for the holiday season. The classic chocolate peppermint combo is a favorite on the holiday cookie tray!
This chocolate peppermint cookie recipe makes a soft chocolate cookie but they aren’t delicate and won’t fall apart (best of both worlds). They are like traditional drop cookies and don’t spread much in the oven which is why we flatten them for a better surface for frosting and decorating.
You can skip this step which doesn’t affect the taste or texture just the look of the cookies. We do this for our Peppermint Frosted Sugar cookies too which have a similar texture.
This easy cookie recipe makes Christmas cookies great for any cookie exchange. But you can also make them any time of year!
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
All purpose flour. Regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend can be used. For gluten-free baking we use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend.
Dutch processed cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa powder or Dutch cocoa has been treated with a chemical reaction to reduce the natural acidity in the cocoa leaving it with a darker color and less bitter in taste.
Unsalted butter. You’ll use 1/2 cup (1 stick in the U.S.) each for the cookies and the frosting. Start the recipe with softened butter for the best results.
Eggs. Two large eggs that should be at room temperature. If you forgot to take them out of the refrigerator no worries! Put them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.
Sour cream. Start with room temperature sour cream.
Peppermint extract. Use pure peppermint extract. This can be difficult to find in some grocery stores even during the holidays. If not available in the baking section of the grocery store, try stores with a baking section or online. This adds peppermint flavor to the cookies.
Crushed peppermint candies. These give peppermint flavor to the chocolate frosting as well as some crunchy texture and holiday season appearance.
You can use candy canes or starlight mints. Before starting the recipe place the candies in a zip-top plastic bag and pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to make larger pieces of crushed candies. Pounding too hard can turn them into dust. You’ll need 3/4 cup.
How to make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If not using a non-stick baking sheet, spray with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
STEP 2. Make the cookie dough
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk together (photo 1). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a hand electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (photo 2). Mix in the eggs (photo 3).
Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract; mix until well combined (photo 4).
Slowly add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and continue mixing just until everything is combined (photo 5). Do not overmix.
STEP 3. Scoop and Bake
Using a medium sized cookie scoop (2 tablespoons in volume), drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly spray your hand or the bottom of a glass (with flat bottom) with non-stick cooking spray and flatten the cookies to half the size (photo 6). (The dough is wet which is why I mentioned to spray whatever you are flattening the dough with).
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops no longer look wet (photo 7).
STEP 4. Cool
Allow the baked cookies to cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
STEP 5. Frosting
In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter. Using a hand electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients and the butter until completely combined and a frosting has formed.
Mix in the vanilla extract. Mix in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency has been reached (photo 8 – shown with whisk attachment but paddle attachment is recommended).
You don’t want the frosting to be dry or it won’t stick well to the cookies, but not so runny that it won’t set. Just a consistency that is spreadable and soft enough to stick.
After frosting each cookie, top with a few pieces of crushed peppermints. Decorate directly after frosting or the candies might have trouble sticking.
Expert Tips
Start with room temperature ingredients. Having the butter softened, and the egg and sour cream at room temperature allows the ingredients to blend best.
Use cooking spray when flattening. The dough is wet and requires spraying the bottom of a glass or your clean hands with non-stick cooking spray before flattening the cookies. Otherwise the dough will stick.
Adjusting the frosting consistency. It should not be too dry (won’t stick to the cookies) or too wet (will be runny). You’ll need a spreadable consistency.
Add candies as soon as frosting. To get the candy bits to stick to the frosting add them as soon as you frost each cookie; don’t wait until you’ve frosted the whole batch of cookies.
How to Store
Once the frosting is set store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The candy cane bits on top can become sticky when exposed to moisture. The cookies will also become softer as they are stored.
I add a layer of parchment paper between each layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
We don’t recommend freezing for these cookies. Though we have not tried to freeze them, we don’t feel the consistency of the cookie, the frosting and the candies will provide best results if freezing and thawing.
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Recipe
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾ cup crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper if not using a non-stick baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups all purpose flour, ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar
- Mix in the eggs. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract; mix until well combined.2 large eggs, ¾ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and continue mixing just until everything is combined.
- Using a medium sized cookie scoop (2 tablespoons in volume), drop balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray your hand or the back of a glass with cooking spray and flatten the cookies to half the size. (The dough is wet which is why I mentioned to spray whatever you are flattening the dough with).
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops no longer look wet.
- Allow to cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling wire rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- Add the butter. Using using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the dry ingredients and the butter until completely combined and a frosting has formed.½ cup unsalted butter
- Mix in the vanilla extract. Mix in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency has been reached. NOTE: You don’t want the frosting to be dry or it won’t stick well to the cookies, but not too runny that it won’t set. Just a consistency that is spreadable and soft enough to stick.)1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- After frosting each cookie, top with a few pieces of crushed peppermints. Decorate directly after frosting or the candies may not stick to the frosting.¾ cup crushed peppermint candies
Tayler says
I love peppermint and chocolate together and these cookies did not disappoint.
Hen says
We added these to our holiday cookie platter this year. They are so pretty but also taste fantastic. Definitely recommend this recipe.
Nikki says
These light, airy and soft cookies have the perfect blend of chocolate and peppermint. A perfect cookie for the Holiday season.
Hannah says
The flavor of these is SO good! Perfect description of them too. Really delicious.
Rachel T says
My new favorite cookie! I plan on making more this weekend. Great recipe!
Kathryn says
Chocolate and peppermint are meant for each-other especially during cookie season! 🙂 These are terrific! Love everything about them!