These chocolate peppermint cookies are packed with 3 different types of chocolate and then topped with crushed candy canes! They are incredibly rich, indulgent, and perfect for any winter occasion! Go ahead and add these to your Christmas gift baskets so that everyone can enjoy them!
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
Around December I start to get a hankering for my favorite winter flavor combination: chocolate and peppermint! Not to mention, anything with crushed candy canes on top practically decorates itself.
These triple chocolate candy cane cookies are always at the top of my holiday baking list. If you are a fan of this minty chocolate flavor combination too, don't forget to give my no-bake peppermint cookies, chocolate peppermint blossoms, or polar bear paws a try!
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December is just around the corner! If you enjoy holiday baking, try counting down to Christmas with my 25 days of Christmas cookies!
🥘 Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Ingredients
These are all pretty standard baking ingredients, excluding candy canes. Around Christmastime, candy canes can be found just about anywhere!
- Butter - ¾ cup of butter softened at room temperature, but not melted.
- Sugar - ½ cup of white granulated sugar.
- Light Brown Sugar - ½ cup of packed light brown sugar.
- Egg - 1 large room-temperature egg. Using room temperature ingredients will help your cookies to cook evenly!
- Vanilla Extract - 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
- Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Salt - ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Espresso Powder (optional) - ½ teaspoon of espresso powder. This will really enhance the chocolate flavor of your cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour - 1½ cups of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder - ½ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (sifted).
- Dark Chocolate Chips - 1½ cups dark chocolate chips
- White Baking Chocolate - 1 cup white baking chocolate for melting to drizzle over the cookies.
- Semisweet Baking Chocolate - 1 cup semisweet baking chocolate for melting to drizzle over the cookies.
- Candy Canes - ¼ cup of crushed candy canes. Use a plastic Ziploc bag to crush the candy canes mess-free.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
If you have baked cookies before this recipe will be a breeze, and if not, I will guide you the whole way! Get out your measuring cups, a mixing bowl and hand mixer (or your stand mixer), and a baking sheet to get started.
This recipe will make about 2 dozen cookies. I love to keep a dozen and gift the remaining dozen!
Make The Chocolate Cookie Dough
- Preheat. Get ready by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream butter and sugar. In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together ¾ cup butter, ½ cup white granulated sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar until nice and smooth.
- Mix. Next, add in 1 large room-temperature egg, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the optional ½ teaspoon espresso powder and mix until everything is combined and smooth. Then, slowly add in 1½ cups of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of cocoa powder until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in chocolate chips. Gently fold in 1½ cups of dark chocolate chips.
Bake The Double Chocolate Cookies
- Shape. Prepare your cookies by rolling the dough into equal-sized balls and then placing them onto your baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies using the bottom of a cup.
- Bake. Bake the cookies in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 7-9 minutes, or until they have puffed up and are no longer shiny.
- Cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Drizzle Chocolate & Sprinkle
- Melt the chocolate. While the cookies are cooling, place 1 cup of semi-sweet baking chocolate or chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted.
- Drizzle semisweet chocolate. Arrange cookies close to each other for easy drizzling. Then transfer the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle, plastic storage bag, or piping bag (and snip a small tip off). Move back and forth over the cookies, drizzling in thin lines.
- Sprinkle. Immediately top the cookies with a handful of crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
- Set. Allow the chocolate on the cookies to set completely before serving.
These chocolate peppermint cookies make a yummy addition to any cookie tray or Christmas dessert spread. They are particularly delicious with some homemade eggnog. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients are the secret to really smooth cookie dough! They also bake more evenly and quickly.
- You can crush your candy canes by placing them into a zip-top storage bag and rolling a rolling pin over them or pressing on them with a skillet.
- Adding the espresso powder will make the chocolate flavor of the cookies really pop!
🥡 Storing
In a sealed airtight container, your cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These cookies are best frozen before adding the chocolate drizzle or candy canes. Once completely cool, freeze them on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours and then transfer them to a storage bag.
They can be frozen for up to 8 months. Simply allow them to thaw at room temperature before adding on the drizzle and candy canes.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, candy canes will liquefy in the oven. That's why it is important to sprinkle the crushed candy canes on your cookies after they have baked and cooled.
Yes, you can easily freeze these cookies. They are the least messy if frozen before adding the crushed candy canes and chocolate drizzle, though you can still freeze them if you have already added those things. Just be sure to place a sheet of wax or parchment paper between the cookies so they don't stick together. Let them thaw out at room temperature before eating and enjoy them within 8 months.
You sure can! Peppermints make a wonderful 1:1 substitution for candy canes, especially when they are crushed because you can't even tell a difference.
🍪 More Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies - Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies with one fun twist, chocolate raisin candies!
- Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - The irresistible flavor combination of oatmeal, banana, and chocolate, in one soft and chewy cookie.
- Eggnog Sugar Cookies - These eggnog sugar cookies are perfect for leaving out for Santa (especially when you're Santa).
- Double Sugar Cookies - Two soft sugar cookies sandwiched around a thick layer of vanilla buttercream icing.
- Chocolate Chip Rolo Cups - These delectable cookie cups have caramel-filled chocolate Rolos in the middle!
- Nutter Butter Snowmen - If you are looking for an adorably festive Christmas cookie, these no-bake nutter butter snowmen are it!
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📖 Recipe Card
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (softened, at room temperature)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (spoon and leveled)
- ½ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1½ cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup white baking chocolate
- 1 cup semisweet baking chocolate
- ¼ cup candy canes (crushed)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Get ready by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together your butter, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar until nice and smooth.
- Next, add in the room temperature egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and optional espresso powder and mix until everything is combined and smooth. Then, slowly add in the flour and cocoa powder until a soft dough forms.
- Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips.
- Prepare your cookies by rolling the dough into equal-sized balls and then placing them onto your baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies using the bottom of a cup.
- Bake the cookies in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 7-9 minutes, or until they have puffed up and are no longer shiny.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, place your white baking chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cookies.
- Repeat this process with the semisweet baking chocolate. Drizzle it over the cookies and then immediately top the cookies with the crushed candy canes.
- Allow the chocolate on the cookies to set completely before serving.
Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients are the secret to really smooth cookie dough! They also bake more evenly and quickly.
- You can crush your candy canes by placing them into a zip-top storage bag and rolling a rolling pin over them or pressing on them with a skillet.
- Adding the espresso powder will make the chocolate flavor of the cookies really pop!
- To store: In a sealed container, your cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: These cookies are best frozen before adding the chocolate drizzle or candy canes. Once completely cool, freeze them on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours and then transfer them to a storage bag. They can be frozen for up to 8 months. Simply allow them to thaw at room temperature before adding on the drizzle and candy canes.
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