Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These cookies are light and airy (without being delicate) with rich chocolate and peppermint flavor. Topped with creamy chocolate frosting topped with peppermint candies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Cooling Time (estimate) 18

Total Time 53

Servings cookies

Calories 152kcal

Author Toni Dash

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

Notes

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.

Nutrition