The Best Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are so festive and perfect for the holiday season! Soft and chewy cookies are loaded with rich chocolate flavor then topped with a peppermint buttercream frosting and crushed candy canes. These will be a hit at all of your holiday parties!

For more Christmas Cookie Recipes, be sure to check out my Molasses Crinkle Cookies, Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.

I couldn’t let December pass us by without bringing you a new Christmas cookie recipe! These Chocolate peppermint cookies are so delicious and have all the classic flavors of the holiday season.

If you’re looking for something fun (and pretty!) for your holiday dessert table, these cookies would be the perfect addition. As much as I love making my tried and true Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies each year for Christmas (and Santa!), sometimes I want something a little different. 

These Peppermint Chocolate Christmas Cookies fit the bill and are so festive to boot! The peppermint flavor is just the right amount and balances the richness of the chocolate perfectly .

If you’re a peppermint chocolate lover, you need this cookie recipe for your holiday baking!

Ingredients for Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

• Dry ingredients – you will need all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt for baking your chocolate peppermint cookies.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – I like to use dutch process cocoa for a rich and smooth chocolate flavor. If you don’t have dutch process cocoa on hand though, regular cocoa powder will work fine.
• Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter. You will need two whole sticks, softened to room temperature for the cookies, and 11/2 sticks softened for the frosting.
• Sugar – I like to use both white sugar and dark brown sugar for the perfect chewy cookie texture. You will also need powdered sugar for making the frosting.
• Egg – allow your egg to come to room temperature first, as it will blend into your batter much more smoothly. Pro tip: If you are short on time, simply place your whole eggs in a mug or small bowl of warm water for about five minutes before cracking and adding to your batter.
• Vanilla extract – gives depth of flavor to your cookies. You can also use vanilla bean paste instead.
• Pure peppermint extract – adds delicious peppermint flavor to your cookies. You only need a little bit for a nice smooth flavor!
• Peppermint candy canes – adds the finishing touch to your cookies! You’ll want to crush them into small pieces first (I usually do this with a meat mallet.)

A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.

How to make this Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Recipe – Step by Step

Steps 1-4: Make the Cookies

1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder with a whisk. Set aside.

2: In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.

3: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until combined.

4: Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.

Steps 5-8: Bake and Make the frosting

5: Use a large cookie scoop to measure the dough. Use your hands to roll the dough into balls and place the cookie dough balls about two inches apart onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. You will need to do multiple batches.

6: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

7: For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract over medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar a bit at a time, beating until completely combined. 

8: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a spiral of frosting on top of each cookie. Sprinkle the top of the cookies with the crushed candy canes. Enjoy!

Tips and Notes

• Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. This will help your chocolate peppermint cookies to bake evenly and prevent excessive spreading. It also makes clean-up nice and easy.
• Use room temperature butter and eggs. Your ingredients will blend together more seamlessly with room temperature ingredients, and your dough will rise better as well. 
• Customize your toppings. Feel free to change up the color of your frosting (red or green would be nice and festive) and add some fun holiday sprinkles in place of/ in addition to the crushed candy canes. 
• Store your baked and frosted cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. You can also refrigerate your cookies to extend their life by a couple extra days, or freeze your peppermint chocolate cookies in a freezer safe container or ziploc bag for up to three months. Thaw on the counter top before enjoying.

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!