Chewy Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Peppermint Chocolate Cookies will add a little holiday magic to your day, along with some decadence! With a chewy peppermint chocolate base, melty chocolate chips and chocolate chunks, and crushed candy canes, these are the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie collection.
Do you have a Christmas cookie collection too? I have to admit, I’ve saved more holiday cookie recipes than I’ll ever be able to make, but these peppermint chocolate cookies are ones that I’ll bake on repeat ever year. They are just that good! They’re chewy and fudgy, kind of like a Peppermint Brownie in Brownie Cookie form. There’s loads of chocolate and crunchy candy cane in every bite. Tuck these into a festive tin with some Vegan Sugar Cookies and you’ve got the perfect homemade holiday gift. (But make sure you bake a big batch for yourself too!)
You’ll Bake These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies on Repeat
These easy cookies are rich, fudgy, and practically bursting with holiday cheer!
- Festive flavour. Rich chocolate and cool peppermint are a classic combo for a reason. They taste like Christmas in every bite.
- No fuss, all fun. These cookies are easy enough for a weeknight and festive enough for your holiday cookie swap. No complicated steps, just simple, delicious baking. If you can make Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, you can make these peppermint chocolate cookies too.
- That fudgy, chewy bite. Thanks to applesauce and melted vegan butter, the texture is ultra-soft in the center with just the right amount of chew. YUM!
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make these peppermint chocolate cookies this holiday season. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Want to make gluten-free peppermint chocolate cookies? Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour formulated for baking.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Natural cocoa works best for that brownie-like flavour, but if you have Dutch process cocoa on hand, you can use that instead.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegan butter – You can use my homemade vegan butter or store-bought.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar isn’t just for sweetness in a cookie; it also adds moisture for a soft, chewy texture.
- Unsweetened applesauce – This is the vegan egg substitute in these cookies.
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract – Be sure to use peppermint extract, not mint extract, which tastes more like wintergreen than candy canes.
- Chocolate chips – A combination of chocolate chips and chopped dark chocolate for big pockets of chocolatey goodness.
- Crushed candy canes – Or Starlite mints, which have the same flavour.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are easy as can be. And we all need a little bit of easy during the busy holiday season!
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and peppermint in a separate bowl, until creamy.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Add the chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate, reserving a tablespoon of each for pressing into the cookies before baking.
- Chill. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes to firm slightly.
- Shape. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2-inches apart.
- Bake. Press the reserved chocolate into the tops of the cookies. Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes; the edges will be set, but the centres will still be a bit soft.
- Finish. Add the crushed candy canes while the peppermint chocolate cookies are still warm, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Tips and Variations
- Don’t skip the chilling. This helps keep the cookies from spreading too thin on the baking sheet.
- Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate. I do recommend keeping those dark chocolate chunks, but for a creamy flavour and pops of white, you can use white chocolate chips instead of regular.
- Omit the candy canes. You can use red and white sprinkles instead or just leave them out altogether. The cookies will already taste like peppermint from the extract.
- Get a head start. Make the dough, roll it into balls, and then freeze the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop them into a freezer bag once they’re frozen solid and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. This will give you a head start on your holiday baking! Bake the peppermint chocolate cookies from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Store these peppermint chocolate cookies in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10–12 seconds.
Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 125g
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 40g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda, 3g
- ¼ teaspoon salt, 1g
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted – 115g (Measure before melting)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, 150g
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 60g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5g
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, 5g
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, 90g
- ⅓ cup vegan dark chocolate, chopped – 50g
- 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes for topping, about ½ candy cane
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted vegan butter, light brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until well combined and creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in vegan chocolate chips and chopped chocolate evenly throughout the dough. Reserve 1 tablespoon of each for the topping.
- Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes before shaping to help firm up slightly.
- Scoop dough (about 2 tablespoons each) and roll into balls.
- Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Top the cookie balls with reserved chocolate chips and chopped chocolate.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cookies should look set but still be soft in the middle.
- Remove from heat and immediately add crushed candy canes on top while the cookies are warm, if desired.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. They will still be soft while warm.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store these peppermint chocolate cookies in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10–12 seconds.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
